Biol 310 2009 Syllabus page 1 Welcome to Animal Physiology Biol 310 CRN 83731/83732 Course Information and Syllabus UAF Fall 2009 4 credits Professor: Michael Harris Phone: 474-7801 Office: 260 Arctic Health Research Building Email: ffmbh@uaf.edu Office hours: Wednesday 10:30-11:30am or by appointment! Find course materials online with Blackboard! Class meetings: Lecture: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9:15-10:15 am (Irving 1 room 201) Laboratory (Recitations): Section 02 (83731) Wednesday 2:15-5:15 (Bunnell 402)* Section 01 (83732) Wednesday 6:30-9:30 (Bunnell 402)* * location may change Teaching Assistant: Suzanne Worker Phone: 474-7162 Office: 408 Irving I Email: sbworker@alaska.edu Office Hours: Mondays 10:00 am noon or by appointment Prerequisite courses: Biol 105X & 106X (Fundamentals of Biology), Chem 105X & 106X (General Chem.) Texts: Hill, R.W., Wyse, G.A. and Anderson,M. 2004. Animal Physiology. Second Edition (2008) Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, MA (ISBN 978-0-87893-317-4) The first edition (2004; ISBN:0-87893-315-8) is a mostly adequate alternative, although the page references will be different. It is your responsibility to check that the assignments and material are adequately covered in any alternative text you select. Course Description This course addresses how animals function in different environments, using examples from vertebrates (including humans!) and some invertebrates. As a general theme we will examine how animals work, survive and regulate physiological processes. We will discuss homeostatic mechanisms of respiration, circulation, thermoregulation, metabolism, locomotion and osmoregulation, in vertebrates with comparison to selected invertebrates. Emphasis will be on significant transitions in animal evolution, examples including the transition from ectothermy-toendothermy, water-to-land, seawater-to-freshwater. The scope of the class may be altered to fit available instructional time.
Biol 310 2009 Syllabus page 2 Philosophy of the Course The study of animal physiology is a very broad based one. Among its goals are: 1) describe the diversity of physiological responses in the animal kingdom, and 2) describe the mechanisms (at the molecular and cellular levels) of physiological adaptation. Animal physiology is derived from and contributes to such diverse areas as neurobiology, medicine, biochemistry, physics, ecology, and evolution. This course is intended as an in-depth introduction to current processes, mechanisms, models, and analytical skills in animal physiology. The comparative approach in Comparative Animal Physiology is a major theme in this discipline. What does it mean when we say a discipline is comparative? The addition of this single word adds a third, challenging goal: 3) to deduce how and why physiological adaptations evolved. Obviously, this is difficult because we are relegated to originating and testing hypotheses of how physiological mechanisms evolved from the analysis of physiological adaptations in modern animals (physiological processes are not preserved in the fossil record!!). Thus, the comparative method makes use of the phylogenetic relationships among animals to discover cases of physiological convergence (where animals in different taxa possess similar adaptations to the same environment) and physiological divergence (where animals in a taxon possess diverse physiologies that permit adaptation to different environments. Course Goals and Methods This course draws upon lecture, literature, simulation and laboratory exercises to teach physiological principles and their application. Some in-class group exercises will encourage problem solving and independent thinking. Several lab sessions will be devoted to recitation, discussions of primary literature.students will be introduced to online literature databases. Students should expect to complete this class with a working grasp of animal physiology and some of the methods used to study it. It is intended to complement Biol 317 (Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates), and serves as a prerequisite for Neurobiology, Developmental Biology, Physical Ecology of Overwintering, Animal Behavior, Vertebrate Endocrinology, and Reproductive Biology. It should serve as good preparation both for students interested in medical careers as well as students interested in graduate work in biology or wildlife related fields.
Biol 310 2009 Syllabus page 3 Grades Assessment Points ea. Points total % of Grade Midterm Exams (2) 45 90 45 % Quiz (1) 20 20 10 % Final Exam 50 50 25 % Recitation exercises (8) 5 40 20 % TOTAL 200 100% Final Grade The class will be graded on a straight percentage basis: A 90-100% B 80-89.9% C 70-79.9% D 60-69.9% F < 60% This class will not use a plus/minus grading scale. I will not grade on a curve. This means that in principle it will be possible for everyone to get an A in this course (but of course it will also be possible for everyone to get an F). Supplemental assignments may be provided at the discretion of the instructor. Course Policies Attendance at Recitations is mandatory! Each missed recitation will result in -2 points. Late assignments will be penalized (1 point per day late, and we will refuse late work beyond 4 days). The dates of all exams will be shown on the syllabus. If you anticipate a legitimate conflict, notify the instructor as soon as possible. Notification does not automatically entitle a student to a rescheduled assessment, but allows the instructor to consider the request for alternative arrangements. Requests made within the week of the exam will not be considered. Missed assignments and exams will be evaluated as 0 points, and make-up exams/assignments will only be granted in the case of serious illness or injury, or death in the family (documentation is required). Disabilities Services We welcome students with disabilities and will work with the Office of Disabilities Services (203 WHIT 474-7043) to provide equal access to the course via reasonable accommodations.
Biol 310 2009 Syllabus page 4 Animal Physiology (BIOL 310) Fall 2009 Lecture/Recitation schedule Week Date Class Topic Chapter 0 Sept 1 1 Welcome & Introduction 1 Sept 7 Labor day no lecture Sept 9 2 Physiology & Homeostasis Sept 9 No Lab (reading assignment) Krogh & Bernard Sept 11 3 Environments and Physiological adaptation 2 Sept 14 4 Metabolism: aerobic, anaerobic, coping with hypoxia Sept 16 5 Metabolism (Cont d) Sept 16 L1 Discussion: basic concepts; Web of Science exercise Sept 18 6 Metabolic Rate: whole animal energy expenditure 3 Sept 21 7 Metabolic Rate Sept 23 8 Locomotion: costs of transport Sept 23 L2 Locomotion Recitation Sept 25 9 Locomotion: costs and scaling 4 Sept 28 10 Temperature: acclimation, Q10,Enzymes, Sept 30 11 Temperature: Enzymes, membranes Sept 30 L3 Temperature Recitation Oct 2 12 Temperature: Extremes, freezing 5 Oct 5 13 Midterm 1 Oct 7 14 Thermoregulation Oct 7 L4 Hibernation Recitation Oct 9 15 Thermoregulation 6 Oct 12 16 Respiration: Water Breathing Oct 14 17 Respiration: Air Breathing Oct 14 L5 Recitation Oct 16 18 Gas exchange 7 Oct 19 19 Gas exchange Oct 21 20 Circulation Oct 21 L6 Circulation Recitation Oct 23 21 Circulation 8 Oct 26 22 Circulation Oct 28 23 Osmoregulation Oct 28 L7 Recitation Oct 30 24 Osmoregulation 9 Nov 2 25 Osmoregulation Nov 4 26 Osmoregulation Nov 4 L8 Recitation Nov 6 27 Osmoregulation 10 Nov 9 28 Midterm 2 Nov 11 29 Extreme environments Nov 11 L9 Recitation Nov 13 30 Extreme environments: depth and pressure
Biol 310 2009 Syllabus page 5 11 Nov 16 31 Nov 18 32 Nov 18 L10 Recitation Nov 20 33 12 Nov 23 34 Nov 25 35 Nov 25 Thanksgiving no recitation Nov 27 Thanksgiving - 13 Nov 30 36 Dec 2 37 Dec 2 L11 Recitation Dec 4 38 14 Dec 7 39 Quizz Dec 9 40 Dec 9 L12 Recitation Dec 11 41 15 Dec 14 42 Dec 16 Final Examination (cumulative): 8:00 10:00