| NBIC49 |
Animal Function and Environmental Adaptation, 15 ECTS credits.
/Djurens fysiologiska funktioner och deras anpassning till miljön/
For:
Bio
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Prel. scheduled
hours: 120
Rec. self-study hours: 280
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Area of Education: Science
Main field of studies: Biology
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Advancement level
(G1, G2, A): G2
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Aim:
The student will increase her/his understanding of how animals adjust their organism to thrive and survive in the environment they live in. They will do this by by applying the essential principles of physiology covered in an earlier basic physiology course such as NBIB29 Fysiologiska principer.
For every environmental scenario the student will be able
- to identify the fundamental concepts implicated by discussion with fellow students
- to understand the fundamental concepts by explaining them orally in tutorial sessions
- to integrate all mechanisms involved in a multi-faceted response of the entire organism by writing a concise essay outlining all the steps of the physiological response
In consequence, the student will improve her/his ability
- to articulate and explain scientific concepts orally and spontaneously
- to write briefly and precisely on the progression of biological processes
- to describe quantitatively the outcome of physiological responses
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Prerequisites: (valid for students admitted to programmes within which the course is offered)
Passed basic subjects in biology (75 credits, at least 45 credits theory).
Basic knowledge in statistics.
Understanding of the essential physiological concepts as presented in Silverthorn, D. U. Human Physiology. An integrated approach (Pearson, Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, 2007).
Note: Admission requirements for non-programme students usually also include admission requirements for the programme and threshhold requirements for progression within the programme, or corresponding.
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Organisation:
The course is organized around weekly themes related to environments in which animals are living. The course will emphasize the physiology of vertebrate species with dedicated parts to humans. Each theme will have a similar structure:
Day 1. Presentation of the specific problems related to the weekly theme and further work on them during the day
Day 2. Introductory lectures to the weekly theme (2-4 h) with links to the specific problems
Days 3 and 4. Individual or group work on specific problems related to the theme chosen by the students. There will always be at least one problem emphasizing human physiology and one problem emphasizing animal physiology. Practical activities in the form of laboratory exercises or demonstrations adequate to the week theme will be organized.
Day 5. Colloquium with the different student groups. Discussion of relevant articles and definition of further learning issues.
The last week of the course will be used to collect and work on the further learning issues identified for each theme, which will be used as the subject for the home exam.
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Course contents:
The weekly themes are the following: 1) dealing with high and low temperatures, 2) dealing with high altitudes, 3) dealing with life under water, 4) dealing with scarce resources (fasting and starvation), 5) dealing with stress (animal welfare), 6) dealing with environmental pollutants, 7) dealing with the embryonic environment and 8) dealing with disease and parasites. In this fashion, all themes will require the integration of two or more physiological systems. For instance theme 4 on dealing with scarce resources incorporates topics of digestive physiology, endocrinology and even kidney physiology when water is scarce. Theme 5 on stress has also numerous consequences on the cardiovascular system (heart failure, for example) but also on reproduction and the theme will require an important consideration of nerve physiology as well. Theme 6 on dealing with environmental pollutants incorporates topics of reproductive physiology (gender bender pollutants), metabolism and kidney physiology.
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Course literature:
Hill, R. W., Wyse, G. A. & Anderson, M. Animal Physiology 3rd edition (Sinauer, 2012).
ISBN10: 0878936629. ISBN13: 9780878936625
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Examination: |
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Individual written problem essays
Oral colloquium discussions
Laboratory reports
Home exam
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4 ECTS
4 ECTS
4 ECTS
3 ECTS
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The final grade is the combination of all grades 30% for UPG1 and UPG4 and 20% for UPG2 and UPG3. |
Course language is English.
Department offering the course: IFM.
Director of Studies: Agneta Johansson
Examiner: Jordi Altimiras
Link to the course homepage at the department
Course Syllabus in Swedish
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