BI3RS1: Animal Behaviour – Reproductive Strategies

Module code: BI3RS1

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Phil Baker , email: p.j.baker@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Reproduction is often considered the ultimate goal of every animal. Despite this common goal, however, reproduction can be a hotbed of conflict, deceit, exploitation and murder. This module will focus on the wide range of behavioural mechanisms that animals have evolved to reproduce, either directly or indirectly. Key topics which will be addressed include: mate choice (e.g. sexual selection, ritualised displays, nuptial gifts, to sexual cannibalism); the benefits and risks of monogamy versus polygyny and polyandry; reproductive suppression; semelparity versus iteroparity; parental, paternal and alloparental care; homosexuality; sex ratio variation (e.g. ‘sexy sons’, environmental sex determination, siblicide, infanticide); central place foraging; and reproductive senescence. Specific attention will be given to how relevant data are collected and analysed, and the inter-relationship between species reproductive strategies and their success in the rapidly changing modern world.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate evidence for the evolution of, and patterns of individual behaviour within, different social systems across a range of animal taxa
2. Compare and contrast how ecological factors, species-specific traits and anthropogenic activities affect reproductive output, population dynamics and / or reproductive investment strategies across a range of animal taxa
3. Effectively communicate scientific information, including the quantitative analysis of data, to different audiences in written or oral form

Module content

The means by which an animal’s behaviour contributes to its fitness is a primary driver of evolutionary processes. As such, there is intense competition between individuals of the same, but also the opposite, sex, resulting in profound variation in individual behavioural patterns within different social systems across animal taxa. These reproductive / parental investment strategies include elements of cooperation and conflict between individuals, including instances where individuals help raise offspring that are not their own, or instances where mates, offspring or siblings are killed. Lectures will focus on examples from the current scientific literature, as well as seminal studies in the relevant fields. Particular emphasis will be placed on the methods used to study animal behaviour in the wild, but also in the laboratory and other captive settings. In addition, the module will consider how anthropogenic activities impinge on individual reproductive behaviours, ultimately affecting, for example, species vulnerability to extinction.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Material will principally deliver in the form of lectures, but which will be augmented by the use of video material and invited speakers where appropriate. Students will be expected to complete two assignments, each worth 50%. Assignments will be set as continuous assessments, and will focus on a combination of quantitative analytical and science communication skills (written and / or oral).

Study hours

At least 40 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs