BB816: Chemical Communication (10 ECTS)

STADS: 04005501

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.
1st and 2nd quarter

Teacher responsible
Email: bodil@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
ams@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
There is no timetable available for the chosen semester.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Bachelor degree in biology.

Course introduction
The course is an introductory course in chemical communication and deals with the distribution and importance of chemical signals in nature. The course provides a fundamental understanding of mechanisms in communication within an organism (hormones) and between organisms (pheromones). The importance of chemical communication in chemical ecological. physiological and toxicological interrelationship will be described. The parallels between the two systems wil be accentuated by a description of the similar mechanisms, production and transfer as well as reaction on chemical stimuli.

Expected learning outcome
By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• describe the endocrine system within an organism and pheromones involved in plant and animal group integration
• explain different mechanisms of hormone and pheromone action.
• account for important experiments and methodologies in chemical communication
• analyze comparative aspects of control mechanisms in groups of animals and plants.
• explain patophysiology of the endocrine system in humans.
• explain homeostasis, how hormones and pheromones affect each other and how feed back mechanisms regulate adaptation and communication in animal groups
• plan, perform and describe experiments, which elucidate effect and function of hormones and pheromones.

Subject overview
Chemical communication within an organism (hormones) and between organisms (pheromones). The importance of chemical communication in ecological, physiological and toxicological interrelationships will be described.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
(a) Project assignment graded pass/fail. Internal censorship by the teacher.
(b) Mandatory assignments graded pass/fail. Internal censorship by the teacher.
(c) Laboratory exercises graded pass/fail. Internal censorship by the teacher. Lab exercises account for 4 of the total course ECTS.

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

Lectures 10
Tutorials 30
Laboratory exercises 40
Excursion 10
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.