Physiological Ecology

Biology 526
Spring 2010

Mon./Wed. 3:00-4:20 224 TCNW 3 credit hours INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Kenneth M. Crawford 211 TCNW 745-6005 kenneth.crawford@wku.edu OFFICE HRS: M 1:00-3:00, T 10-12

Course Description:

The course examines the physiological adaptations of animals that enhance their survival and/or permit them to exploit extreme (e.g. arctic, desert, hypoxic) environments. The student will gain a knowledge of, and an appreciation for, the general principles by which animals function and the anatomical, biochemical and physiological specializations that contribute to our understanding of these general principles. Students will examine these principles in an ecological and evolutionary context that will permit them to gain an understanding of the diversity and distribution of animals. Although not a systematic exploration of comparative physiology, numerous vertebrate as well as invertebrate systems will be used as examples to illustrate these concepts. Prerequisite: an undergraduate animal physiology course or permission of instructor.

Required Text:

Hill, Wyse, Anderson. Animal Physiology. 2nd Edition. 2008. Sinauer. ISBN 978-0-87893-317-4 (Hardcover, $124.95), a 3-hole punched, shrink-wrapped version is also available at a considerable discount.

Additional Sources:

Willmer, P., G. Stone & I. Johnston. Environmental Physiology of Animals. 2nd Edition. 2005. Blackwell Science.

Schmidt-Nielsen, Knut.Animal Physiology : Adaptation and Environment. 5^th edition. 1997.Cambridge University Press.

Eckert. Animal Physiology. 5th ed. 2001.

Course Evaluation and Grading:

Two exams will be given in class during the course of the semester, each exam worth 30% of grade. The format will be short answer, problem solving, and essay. Examinations will cover material from lecture, the assigned papers and the assigned readings from the text.
30 % of the grade will be an evaluation of a 5-7 page research paper and the remaining 10% will be allotted to your oral review of a research paper.
Grades are assigned based on a 10 point straight scale, i.e. 90-100 = A, 80-89 = B: etc.

Note to Disabled Students:

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD.

LECTURE SCHEDULE and READING ASSIGNMENTS: Spring 2010

Date	Topic	Readings (Hill)
January 25/27	Course Intro, Basic Principles	Ch. 1, Ch. 3 pp. 63-72
February 01/03	Orientation in Time and Space, Sensory Systems	Ch. 14 pp. 383-389, Ch. 13, Ch. 17
February 08/10	Energetics: Part I Part II Part III	Ch. 5
February 15/17	Energetics: Metabolism I Metabolism II Metabolism III	Ch. 2 pp. 29-56, Ch. 6
February 22/24	Energetics: Anaerobiosis	Ch.7
March 01/ 03	Energetics: Locomotion I	Ch. 8
March 08/10	No Classes: Spring Break
March 15/17	Energetics: Skeletal Muscle, Adaptation	Ch. 19
March 22/24	Catch-up/ Mid-term exam (3/24)
March 29/31	Support Systems: Respiration	Ch. 22, 23
April 05/07	Support Systems: Circulation	Ch. 24, 25
April 12/14	Support Systems: Osmoregulation	Ch. 26, 27
April 19/21	Adaptation to Terrestrial Life	Ch. 27, 28, 29
April 26/28	Adjustments of Animals to Temperature, Endotherms	Ch. 9, 10
May 03/05	Adjustments of Animals to Temperature, Ectotherms	Ch. 9

May 14	Final Examination: 1:00

Other Important Dates: Research Paper Due Friday May 7, 5:00 PM

Author: Kenneth M. Crawford