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for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
The Primatological Context to Biological Anthropology |
| Unit code |
ARCH35021 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
H/6
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
|
| Unit director |
Professor. Kate Robson Brown |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department |
Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Arts |
Description including Unit Aims
This course will look at non-human primate species and examine how features of their environment shape their structure, physiology and behaviour. Visits to Bristol Zoo Gardens will aid this exploration in addition to providing practical experience of field methods. We will also focus on the conservation of primate species and current threats to their survival.
Aims:
- To enable students to understand the main research areas within primatology and to recognize the issues threatening primate populations today.
- To provide students with the practical experience of research techniques in the field of primatology.
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit students should be able to:
- Describe the key features that define the order of primates and different taxonomic groups.
- Identify primate species and be able to place them in their correct family.
- Discuss theoretical issues surrounding primate reproduction, ecology, social behaviour and intelligence.
- Understand the principles and definitions of behavioural ecology.
- Discuss the advantages/ disadvantages of research techniques.
- Discuss the main threats to the conservation of primate populations.
- Identify key research resources, international legislation and conservation agencies concerned with non-human primates species.
Teaching Information
Lectures, seminars and a fieldtrip to Bristol Zoological Gardens.
Assessment Information
All the assessment is summative.
1) A 60 minute short answer class test (25% of the marks)
2) A Seminar presentation (25% of the marks)
3) A research report of 3500 words (50% of the marks)
Reading and References
- Strier, K.B. (2003). Primate Behavioral Ecology (2nd edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
- Boyd, R. & Silk, J.B. (1997). How Humans Evolved. London: W.W. Norton.
- Setchell, J.M. & Curtis, D.J. (2003). Field and Laboratory Methods in Primatology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Groves, C.P. (1989). A Theory of Human and Primate Evolution. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- Else, J.G. & Lee, P.C. (1984). Primate Ecology and Conservation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
