George W. Uetz Professor Ph.D., University of Illinois Animal Behavior, Behavioral Ecology, & Arachnology

Animal Behavior (Biology 550) - An advanced undergraduate/graduate course providing a broad introduction to the scientific study of behavior in animals. The overall goal of the course is to introduce students to the diversity of animal behaviors, and to provide a framework in which to understand them from mechanistic, ecological and evolutionary perspectives.  To do so, we examine a variety of topics including the genetic, physiological, neural and developmental basis of behavior, animal learning, foraging, habitat selection, predator-prey interaction, communication, reproduction and mating systems, parental care and social behavior. [taught in alternate years with Dr. Michal Polak].

Readings in Behavioral Ecology (Biology 850) - A graduate-level seminar style companion course to Biology 550, covering topics from the current primary literature of animal behavior and behavioral ecology.

Invertebrate Zoology (Biology 520) - an advanced undergraduate/graduate lecture/lab class covering the diversity of invertebrate phyla. The goals of this class are to examine the invertebrates from an evolutionary perspective, with an emphasis on the relationship between form and function, ecology and behavior. Additionally, the course uses examples from the primary literature to illustrate the usefulness of invertebrate animals as subjects of biological research in many disciplines, and their potential in biotechnology and bioremediation [taught every year in Winter quarter].

Readings in Invertebrate Zoology (Biology 720) A graduate-level seminar style companion course to Biology 520, covering topics from the current primary literature on invertebrates.

Arachnology (Biology 660) - An advanced undergraduate/graduate lecture/lab/field course covering the biology of spiders and their relatives. The lecture part of the course concerns the basic anatomy and physiology of arachnids in general and spiders in particular, as well as numerous examples from the current literature on spider ecology and behavior. The lab concentrates on taxonomy, field ecology and demonstrations of behavior in spiders. [taught infrequently].

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 Research: 1. Wolf Spider Research | 2. Colonial Web-Building Spiders Research | 3. El Niño Influence on Colonial Web-Building Spiders. |  4. Impact of a Ecosystem Disturbance on Spider Populations and Communities