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Animal Behaviour and Global Challenges

Module description

The natural environment is changing at an unprecedented rate, leading to mass extinctions and biodiversity loss. Although humans are the drivers of the current biodiversity crisis, we also hold the solutions. Conservation biologists have traditionally aimed to maintain or restore populations by focussing on population size and genetic diversity. However, animals’ first line of defence in response to environmental change is their behaviour. How can we apply insights from animal behaviour research to boost the success of conservation strategies and tackle global challenges? In this module, leading scientists in key behavioural domains such as animal migration, cognition and perception will take you on a whistle-stop tour of the ways in which anthropogenic changes impact animal behaviours. We will then critically assess how we might apply these insights to inform behaviour-based management and conservation planning. We will engage with front-line conservationists to learn how they are applying animal behaviour to address global challenges. Finally, we will consider how human behaviour and cooperation can be leveraged to make change happen.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Animal behaviour and conservation biology used to be entirely separate disciplines. However, the scale of the global challenges to biodiversity we are facing today requires communication and collaboration across these disciplines.  The aim of this module is to empower you with the knowledge and tools to bridge the gap between animal behaviour and conservation biology. You will first be introduced to key domains of animal behaviour and how they are impacted by anthropogenic change. Through engaging with topical discussions lead by experts in these areas, you will learn to critically evaluate whether, when and how behaviour-based conservation management can be applied. You will converse with conservationists who will share their real-life experiences, including failures and successes, of behaviour-based conservation. Finally, you will scrutinize human behaviour to deepen your understanding of the obstacles to, and drivers of, human action to tackle global challenges.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Define and explain key concepts and approaches in animal behaviour and conservation science
• 2. Describe and explain the application of animal behaviour to conservation
• 3. Collate and critically evaluate evidence for the success of behaviour-based conservation management
• 4. Identify research priorities to resolve conservation and management problems
• 5. Apply insights in human behaviour to understand hindrances and drivers of collective action

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Review and critically evaluate relevant primary scientific literature to identify strengths and weaknesses
• 7. Structure this literature to extract essential principles and synthesise empirical evidence into written work
• 8. Deploy established techniques of empirical investigation, creative thinking and critical analysis to design novel research and management plans and monitor their success

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 9. Identify complex problems and apply relevant knowledge and tools to plan solutions
• 10. Interact collaboratively and respectfully within peer groups
• 11. Communicate arguments, evidence and conclusions using a variety of formats for different audiences.
• 12. Engage effectively in a debate with different stakeholders in a professional manner

Syllabus plan

This module will be delivered through interactive lectures and in-depth discussions. Lectures will begin by introducing key behavioural domains, such as movement and migration, foraging and predator evasion, social structure and cognition, and reproductive behaviour. We will consider how such key behaviours are impacted by anthropogenic-induced changes to the natural environment, such as habitat loss and degradation, human-wildlife conflict and exploitation, disease, invasive species and climate change. We will then critically evaluate how we might use these insights to plan or improve conservation and management strategies, and learn from the experiences of experts in behaviour-based conservation, human-wildlife conflict, human collaboration and collective action.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to redo the relevant assessment. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

The module will draw extensively on primary published research papers in peer-reviewed journals. Key papers will be made available on the ELE page to prepare for each lecture and discussion seminar.

The following textbooks provide useful background reading:

• Berger-Tal, O. and Saltz, D. Conservation Behavior: Applying Behavioral Ecology to Wildlife Conservation and Management. Conservation Biology, Series 21. Cambridge University Press, 2016.

Web-based and electronic resources:

• ELE – Faculty to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
• https://www.conservationevidence.com/

Key words search

Behaviour, climate change, conservation, human-wildlife conflict