BB518: Physiological adaptation to environmental stress (10 ECTS)

STADS: 04002001

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.
3rd quarter and 4th quarter.

Teacher responsible
Email: fbj@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
The content of BB517 Zoology and BB511 Zoophysiology is supposed known.

Course introduction
The physical, chemical and biological conditions in aquatic and terrestrial environments has large impact on the physiology of animals. Environmental changes can cause acute physiological disturbances and stress, which can be counteracted by compensatory mechanisms and ultimately lead to adaptation to the environment. The aim of the course is to give students a thorough knowledge of physiological reactions and adaptations in animals to biotic and abiotic environmental factors.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course, student are expected to be able to:

• Describe naturally occurring differences in important abiotic environmental factors.
• Account for the factors that control the occurrence of species in Nature.
• Account for acute physiological disturbances resulting from changes in abiotic environmental factors.
• Argue how physiological adaptation to environmental challenges is achieved.
• Describe how biotic conditions such as choice of food, predation and way of life influence the physiology of animals.
• Analyze how compensatory mechanisms at cellular level (gene expression, membrane transport etc.), organ level (heart, circulation, gills/lungs) and organismic level (metabolic rate etc.) become integrated to an overall adaptation strategy.
• Judge the adaptational significance of evolutionary differences in physiological traits.
• Interpret physiological data in relation to selected primary literature.
• Use supplied literature to plan, conduct and report a scientific project.

Subject overview
Influence of environment on the physiology (metabolism, respiration, circulation, nutrition/digestion, excretion, water balance, ionic regulation, immune defence) of vertebrates and invertebrates. Acute stress versus chronic stress. Evolutionary adaptation versus physiological adaptation/acclimation. Sensing of stressors and neural and endocrine responses to stressors. Physiological adaptation to changes in environmental factors (oxygen availability, CO2 conditions, temperature, water availability, salinity) and modes of life (activity level; diving, food types). Adaptation to extreme conditions (oxygen lack, deserts, polar environments). Influence of toxic compounds on physiology. Role of the immune system in the defence against diseases and environmental influences on the immune system.

Literature

• Hil, R.W., Wyse, G.A. & Anderson, M. : Animal Physiology, Sinauer Associates.2004.
• Udvalgt særtryk (kommer på Blackboard).
• Øvelsesvejledning.

Syllabus
See syllabus.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
(a) Approval of laboratory reports. Passed/not passed, internal evaluation by teacher.
(b) 4 hours written exam with delivered table calculator as only help. Grades according to the Danish 7 mark scale, external examiner.
(c) Reexamination after 2nd quarter.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

30 forelæsninger, 40 laboratorieøvelser og 10 eksaminatorier.
Der indgår et større eksperimentelt projekt (20 t.) inden for et afgrænset emne, hvor de studerende med udgangspunkt i udleveret litteratur planlægger, udfører og afrapporterer videnskabelige forsøg.
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Remarks
The course includes a larger experimental project (20 h) where student use supplied literature to plan, conduct and report scientific experiments.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.