BISC 445
ENVIRONMENTAL
PHYSIOLOGY OF ANIMALS
Julian Christians (julian_christians@sfu.ca)
Office: SSB 8101
Office hours: Monday, 11:30-12:30
TA: Rodrigo Solis Sosa
Email: unitec.solis@gmail.com
Office hours by appointment
www.sfu.ca/biology/courses/bisc445/
www.sfu.ca/lectures/
What is environmental physiology?
• Physiology is about mechanisms.
• Environmental physiology is about
physiological responses to environmental
challenges.
• Environment = physical, chemical and biotic
abiotic
What is environmental physiology?
Willmer et al.
2005;
Fig. 5.20
Willmer et
al. 2005;
Fig. 5.16
Why study environmental
physiology?
Evolution of
Medicine
health and
disease
Physiology
Evolution
Environmental
physiology
Toxicology
Ecology
Response to
environmental
change
Course outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
Four general principles
Evolutionary processes
Oxygen
Temperature
Water and ions
Deep sea
Will NOT focus on
humans or mammals
Course objectives
I want you to:
• Understand four basic physiological principles,
and be able to illustrate these with examples,
and relate new material to these principles.
• Be able to distinguish between evolutionary
responses (adaptation) and within-individual
responses.
• Understand the importance of modern
evolutionary approaches to the study of
environmental physiology.
Proximate causes: How?
Ultimate causes: Why?
Course objectives
I want you to be aware of:
• Mechanisms available for response to
environmental challenges (including different
responses at different time scales).
• General mechanisms frequently involved in a
variety of responses.
• Some incredible examples of physiological
responses to environmental challenges.
A Bacterium That Can
Grow by Using Arsenic
Instead of Phosphorus
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/01/science.1197258.full.pdf
Mark distribution
• Final exam: 40%
• 2 x Midterm exams: 25% each
• Tutorial presentation: 10%
Exams will be based on tutorial and lecture
material.
These
PowerPoint
slides are NOT
lecture notes
Tutorials- what’s the point?
• To study “primary literature”
• To practice critical thinking
• To practice presenting scientific material in a
clear, jargon-reduced way.
• To gain “public speaking” experience in a nonthreatening environment.
• To study other examples that illustrate the “4
general principles” and other material presented
in lecture.
Make them interesting!
YOU are responsible for rescheduling!
Important dates
Monday, February 3: Midterm #1
Monday, March 10: Midterm # 2
Tuesday, April 22, 8:30-11:30am:
Final exam
Textbooks
One copy of each on reserve:
• Willmer, P., Stone, G., & Johnston, I.
2005. Environmental Physiology of
Animals. Second Edition. Blackwell. ISBN
1405107243. (aka Willmer et al.)
• Moyes, CD & Schulte, PM 2006.
Principles of animal physiology. Pearson
Benjamin Cummings. ISBN
0805353518. (aka Moyes and Schulte)
Why are you taking this course?
What other courses (Biology or other)
have you liked best?
Does this course relate to your
career/grad school goals? If so, how?