Animal Behavior In The Chiricahua Mountains
A Field Course For Students, Teachers, Docents,
& Wildlife Professionals
Sponsored by: The Southwestern Research Station Of The American Museum Of Natural History
The study of animal behavior is by nature interdisciplinary - crossing the boundaries between Biology, Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology. An understanding of the behavior of diverse species contributes both to our appreciation of human evolution, and to our ability to preserve biological diversity through conservation.
This 10-day field course in Animal Behavior is being offered at the Southwestern Research Station, located in The Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The dates are July 15 - 25, 2009.
According to Conservation International, the sky islands of southern Arizona (which include the Chiricahua Mountains) contain some of the richest reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth. It is this outstanding biodiversity that attracts scientists (and their students) from all over the world. During this intensive field course, we will focus on the behavior of a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate species. Our studies will include:
1. The Adaptability Of Behavior - color and odor preferences in the selection of nectar sources by hummingbirds.
2. Population Dynamics - the size of territory in harvester ants as a function of colony density.
3. Communication - the evolution of visual displays in iguanid lizards.
4. Social Behavior - orientation and communication in slave-making ants.
5. Mating Behavior - The role of auditory signals in mating behavior of spadefoot toads.
The course will include a daily multimedia lecture, and participation in projects being conducted by scientists at the Research Station. Emphasis will be placed on research design and hypothesis testing. Projects may vary, to take advantage of weather conditions, species availability, and visiting scientists.
Participants: The Animal Behavior Course is designed for teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, museum and zoo docents, environmental professionals, or anyone who enjoys observing and understanding the behavior of animals in their natural habitat. The course is limited to 15 participants.
Instructor: Dr. Howard Topoff, Professor Emeritus of Biopsychology at the City University of New York. Dr. Topoff has been conducting field research on insect social behavior at the Southwestern Research Station for over 40 years.
Cost: $950 per person for 10 nights. This includes course tuition ($350) as well as room and 3 meals each day at the Research Station ($600).
Please apply (via e-mail or snail mail) to:
Dr. Howard Topoff - P.O. Box 16366 - Portal, AZ 85632
Your application should contain your contact information and a brief statement of your interest in this course.
