Comparative Animal Physiology

Course Description:

The goals of this course are to familiarize you with the principles of comparative physiology and their ecological and evolutionary significance. You will investigate how physiological problems vary in relation to an animal’s environment and what successful strategies animals have used to solve these problems. You will think critically about issues in animal physiology and write about those in an effective manner.

Course Outcomes:

Content outcomes:

Students will identify the structure and functions of the major physiological systems found in vertebrate and invertebrate organisms
Students will make predictions of appropriate physiological systems for a particular environmental constraint.
Students will be able to select the best physiological process that will allow an organism to live in a particular environmental niche.

Skill outcomes:

Students will be able to record and interpret physiological phenomena in appropriate units.
Students will be able to analyze and interpret laboratory data using graphical and statistical tools.
Students will be able to investigate physiological phenomena using appropriate lab methods.
Students will be able to use appropriate search engines to identify and obtain literature pertinent to a chosen physiological topic.
Students will be able to actively seek and assimilate information from texts, assigned articles and reference texts.
Students will be able to work collaboratively with one or more lab partners.

Dispositional outcomes:

Students will understand the relevance and importance of physiology in their field of study.
Students will seek help from the instructor when material is difficult or confusing.