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Syllabus
Non-Human Primates
ANT 312 Section 001
Fall 2013, Lecture
Dr. Christopher Lynn
Tues/Thurs 9:30-10:45
ten Hoor 348
Prerequisites
Course Description
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester, you should be able to
- Demonstrate familiarity with the diversity of living primates
- Explain the relevance of primate studies to understanding human evolution
- Outline the basic differences between apes and monkeys and between Old World and New World primates
- Take an educated position on primate conservation efforts active in the world
- Communicate with classmates and the public about current primate research
- Collect ethological data and write an organized, coherent ethological report
Required Texts
Other Course Materials
Additional readings and other material will be posted on Blackboard, so be sure your Blackboard account is set up correctly so that you received messages relevant to the course in your email inbox.
Outline of Topics
INTRODUCTION
Class 1 (Aug. 22): Administrative material and discussion in depth about the course objectives
READ: Nystrom chapter 1, Sapolsky chapter 1
Class 2 (Aug. 27): Introduction to primates: "Social Climbers" movie/Primate biography #1
READ: Sapolsky chaps 2-3
Class 3 (Aug 29): Primates in human thought through the ages
READ: "Ethnoprimatology" by Riley, Wolfe, & Fuentes (Blackboard), Sapolsky chap 4
Class 4 (Sept 3): Primates and people
READ: Cormier 2006 (Blackboard), Sapolsky chap 5
PRIMATE STUDIES
Class 5 (Sept 5): History of primatology
READ: "A Brief History of Primate Field Studies" (Blackboard), Sapolsky chap 6
Class 6 (Sept 10): Primates in laboratory research/Primate biography #2
READ: "Primates in the Laboratory/Principles of Social Organization" (Blackboard), Sapolsky chap 7
Class 7 (Sept 12): Four seminal primate studies (part 1)
READ: Goodall 1972, Schaller 1972 (Blackboard)
Class 8 (Sept 17): Four seminal primate studies (part 2)
READ: Hall & DeVore 1972, Dolhinow 1972 (Blackboard)
Class 9 (Sept 19): Methods in primatology/Primate biography #3
READ: "Behavioral Data Collection in Primate Field Studies" (Blackboard), Sap ch 8
Class 10 (Sept 24): EXAM 1
PRIMATE EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
Class 11 (Sept 26): Primate biogeography
READ: Nystrom ch 3, Sap ch 9
Class 12 (Oct 1): Issues in biogeography/Primate biography #4
READ: Korstjens et al 2010 (Blackboard), Sap ch 10
Class 13 (Oct 3): Primate body
READ: Nys ch 4, Sap ch 11
Oct 4: BIRMINGHAM ZOO FIELD TRIP (Tentative)
Class 14 (Oct 8): Issues in primate morphological ecology/Primate biography #5
READ: Cuozzo & Sauther 2012 (Blackboard), Sap ch 12
Class 13 (Oct 10): Primate evolution
READ: Nys ch 5, Sap ch 13
Class 14 (Oct 15): Primate evolution (cont'd)/Primate biography #6
READ: Nys ch 5, Sap 14
Class 15 (Oct 17): Primate ecology
READ: Nys ch 6, Sap ch 15
Class 16 (Oct 22): Issues in primate ecology/Primate biography #7
READ: Marshall et al 2009 (Blackboard), Sap ch 16
Class 17 (Oct 24): EXAM 2
PRIMATE DISTRIBUTION AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Class 18 (Oct 29): Primate social organization
READ: Nys ch 7, Sap ch 18
Oct 31: FALL BREAK
Class 19 (Nov 5): Prosimians: A Lemur's Tale movie
READ: Sap chaps 19-20
Class 20 (Nov 7): Primate social relationships/Primate biography #8
READ: Nys ch 8, Sap ch 21
Class 21 (Nov 12): New World monkeys: Face in the Forest movie
READ: Sap chaps 22-23
Class 22 (Nov 14): Primate communication/Primate biography #9
READ: Nys ch 9, Sap ch 24
Class 23 (Nov 19): Old World monkeys: Baboon Tales movie
READ: Sap chaps 25-26
Class 24 (Nov 21): Great apes: Ape Genius movie
READ: Sap chaps 27
Class 25 (Nov 26): Primate brains and behavior
READ: Nys ch 10, Sap ch 28-29
Nov 28: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
TOPICS IN PRIMATOLOGY
Class 26 (Dec 3): Primate conservation/Primate biography #10
READ: Nys ch 11
ZOO OBSERVATION ACTIVITY DUE
Class 30 (Dec 5): Evolutionary medicine--Stress movie
READ: Huffman 2011 (Blackboard)
Wed. Dec 11, 8-10:30 AM: FINAL EXAM
Anthropology Major and Evolutionary Studies
This course fulfills an elective requirement in both the Anthropology major and Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) minor (http://www.as.ua.edu/evolutionarystudies/). If you are not an Anthropology major or minor and have not already decided to declare as such, we hope this course leads you to consider doing so. EvoS is an interdisciplinary minor, housed in the Department of Anthropology and is designed to introduce students to the fundamental importance of evolutionary theory as an explanatory model for life and behavior. This course fulfills an elective requirement in the EvoS minor. Other requirements of the minor include two capstone courses (including ANT 150 and ANT 450, offered every Spring), a 200-level course in the biological principles of evolution, and a foundational course
in one of three disciplines. Minors are required to complete six elective hours in two separate disciplines.
This program is integrated with UA's Evolution Working Group (EVOWOG) and its Alabama Lectures on Life's Evolution (ALLELE) speaker series ("Like" us on Facebook [www.facebook.com/ALLELEseries] to stay informed!). You are strongly encouraged to attend the ALLELE lectures presented this semester. This minor is part of a larger EvoS Consortium, which includes approximately 42 other institutions worldwide, though we are only one of four full-fledged minors. We take pride in this fact, given that Alabama recently scored at the very bottom of the 50 states in teaching evolution at the k-12 levels (even worse than Mississippi!).
As part of the EvoS program, the students have started an EvoS club that hosts an annual Darwin Day Colloquium. You are welcome to become part of this club whether you declare yourself an EvoS minor or simply maintain an abiding interest in evolutionary theory and its myriad applications and implications.
If you are interested in the EvoS minor (either to declare or for more information), contact either Dr. Lynn (cdlynn@ua.edu) or Dr. Rissler (rissler@as.ua.edu), who are co-directors of the program.
Emergency Contact Information
UA's primary communication tool for sending out information is through its web site at www.ua.edu. In the event of an emergency, students should consult this site for further directions. Additional course information will be posted using Blackboard Learn.
Severe Weather Guidelines
The guiding principle at The University of Alabama is to promote the personal safety of our students, faculty and staff during severe weather events. It is impossible to develop policies which anticipate every weather-related emergency. These guidelines are intended to provide additional assistance for responding to severe weather on campus.
UA is a residential campus with many students living on or near campus. In general classes will remain in session until the National Weather Service issues safety warnings for the city of Tuscaloosa. Clearly, some students and faculty commute from adjacent counties. These counties may experience weather related problems not encountered in Tuscaloosa. Individuals should follow the advice of the National Weather Service for that area taking the necessary precautions to ensure personal safety. Whenever the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management Agency issue a warning, people in the path of the storm (tornado or severe thunderstorm) should take immediate life saving actions.
When West Alabama is under a severe weather advisory, conditions can change rapidly. It is imperative to get to where you can receive information from the National Weather Service and to follow the instructions provided. Personal safety should dictate the actions that faculty, staff and students take.
The Office of University Relations will disseminate the latest information regarding conditions on campus in the following ways:
- Weather advisory posted on the UA homepage
- Weather advisory sent out through UA Alerts to faculty, staff and students
- Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA at 90.7 FM
- Weather advisory broadcast over Alabama Public Radio (WUAL) at 91.5 FM
- Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA-TV/WUOA-TV, and on the website at http://wvuatv.com/content/weather. WVUA-TV Home Team Weather provides a free service you can subscribe to which allows you to receive weather warnings for Tuscaloosa via e-mail or cell phone. Check http://wvuatv.com/content/free-email-weather-alerts for more details and to sign up for weather alerts.
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Disability Statement
If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary.
If you have a disability, but have not contacted the Office of Disability Services, please call (205) 348-4285 (Voice) or (205) 348-3081 (TTY) or visit 133-B Martha Parham Hall East to register for services. Students who may need course adaptations because of a disability are welcome to make an appointment to see me during office hours. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services, 133-B Martha Parham Hall East, before receiving academic adjustments.
Policy on Academic Misconduct
All students in attendance at The University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University of Alabama expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. At the beginning of each semester and on examinations and projects, the professor, department, or division may require that each student sign the following Academic Honor Pledge: “I promise or affirm that I will not at any time be involved with cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or misrepresentation while enrolled as a student at The University of Alabama. I have read the Academic Honor Code, which explains disciplinary procedure resulting from the aforementioned. I understand that violation of this code will result in penalties as severe as indefinite suspension from the University.”
See the Code of Student Conduct for more information.
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The University of Alabama is committed to an ethical, inclusive community defined by respect and civility. The UAct website (http://www.ua.edu/uact) provides extensive information on how to report or obtain assistance with a variety of issues, including issues related to dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, sexual violence or other Title IX violations, illegal discrimination, harassment, child abuse or neglect, hazing, threat assessment, retaliation, and ethical violations or fraud.