Biol 322: Environmental
Physiology of Animals (2011)
Dr. Yuxiang Wang (new
Office Hour: 10:30-12:00, Friday or by appointment)
Rm. 3508 BioSci Complex; 533-6134; yuxiangw@queensu.ca
Teaching
Assistant:
Rm. 3510 BioSci,
533 6701;
Lectures will be
(16:30, Monday and 14:30, Friday).
We will use the Seminar/Tutorial slot (10:30, Tues) mainly for supplemental
materials such as research guest seminars, movies and occasionally for over
flowing lectures materials. Monday and Friday lecture
slots will be used throughout the term. Tuesday seminar slot will be used at
the instructor’s discretion with advanced notice.
BIOL 322 is a
survey of animal physiology using a comparative perspective. The emphasis is on
the interaction of the animal with its environment (social and physical) rather
than the mechanisms of homeostatic feedback within an individual. Examples will
be drawn widely from the Animal Kingdom. This course differs from BIOL 339 that examines the functioning of major
organs and tissues from a comparative perspective rather than the interactions
of an organism with the environment. It also differs from human PHGY courses
that are focused on function as a means of understanding and mitigating
malfunction (disease) of human, rather than physiological function as an
evolutionary adaptation to an ecological niche. The BIOL 322 emphasis on the
environment leads us to consider the impacts of environmental disturbances,
including contaminants, on the welfare of wild animals. The course assumes a
basic understanding of biological diversity (BIOL 200) and animal physiology
(BIOL 339) and expects that
students will be enrolled in the core program leading to a Biology Medial or Major.
The required course textbook is: Willmer, Stone & Johnston. 2005. Environmental
Physiology of Animals 2nd edition. Blackwell Science. ISBN1-4051-0724-3. Although the 2nd
edition of the book has been published in 2005, and it is preferred textbook
for this course, a considerable portion of lecture materials can still be found
in the 1st edition. Therefore it is acceptable to use the 1st
edition if you can find a used copy. Sufficient copies of the new 2nd
edition text are available in the Campus Bookstore. A large portion of the
lecture materials will be related, but not limited to the textbook.
Course notes may
not be made available before the lectures. The notes will only serve as a
thread to help student to understand the lecture materials. The lecture will be
based on but not limited to the textbook. Thus attendance at lectures is
strongly recommended. The archived examinations from previous years are the
most reliable guides to the expectation and material for current year.
Essay title,
references and requirement will be assigned through the course website
immediately after mid-term examination. You are to submit your assignment
through course WebCT.
The Grading
Scheme will be:
1) In-class
mid-term examination (Feb 15th) 20%
2) Essay (March 2, due April 4th Monday) 30%
3) Final
Examination (7pm, April
19th revised) 50%
The tentative course timetable:
(Updated
April 8th, 2011)
|
Date |
Time |
Topic (Subject to
Change) |
Professor |
|
|
Mon, Jan 10 |
16:30 |
Wang |
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|
Tues, Jan 11 |
10:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Fri. Jan 14 |
14:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Mon. Jan 17 |
16:30 |
Size Matters (con’t) |
Wang |
|
|
Tues. Jan 18 |
10:30 |
Movies “Planet Earth - From Pole to Pole” |
|
|
|
Fri. Jan 21 |
14:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Mon. Jan 24 |
16:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Tues. Jan 25 |
10:30 |
Movie “Planet Earth – Freshwater” |
|
|
|
Fri. Jan 28 |
14:30 |
Osmotic Homeostasis (con’t) |
Wang |
|
|
Mon. Jan 31 |
16:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Tues. Feb 1 |
10:30 |
Movie “Planet Earth – Shallow Sea” (We will show movie
despite the snow storm) |
|
|
|
Fri. Feb 4 |
14:30 |
Wang |
||
|
|
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|
Mon. Feb 7 |
16:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Tues. Feb 8 |
10:30 |
Movie “Planet Earth- Desert” |
|
|
|
Fri. Feb 11 |
14:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Mon. Feb 14 |
16:30 |
Gas
Exchange (Con’t) |
|
|
|
Tues. Feb 15 |
10:30 |
Midterm Exam |
|
|
|
Fri. Feb 18 |
14:30 |
No Lecture |
|
|
|
READING WEEK (Feb 21-27) |
||||
|
16:30 |
Wang |
|||
|
Tues. Mar 1 |
10:30 |
Movie
“PBS-Special - Dragon’s Back” (Release
of Essay assignment topic) Essay
Assignment (click to see the assignment) |
|
|
|
Fri. Mar 4 |
14:30 |
Respiration
in Various Environment (con’t) (Lecture room is moved to DUN 14 for today) |
Wang |
|
|
Mon. Mar 7 |
16:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Tues Mar 8 |
10:30 |
Movie “Planet Earth- Mountains” |
|
|
|
Fri. Mar 11 |
14:30 |
Respiration at Altitude and Depth (con’t) |
Wang |
|
|
Mon. Mar 14 |
16:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Tues. Mar 15 |
10:30 |
Assignment briefing |
|
|
|
Fri. Mar 18 |
14:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Mon. Mar 21 |
16:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Tues. Mar 22 |
10:30 |
Movie “Planet Earth – Caves” |
|
|
|
Fri. Mar 25 |
14:30 |
Tutorial: mid-term exam review and
assignment questions Movie “Planet - Ice World” |
Scott MacIntyre |
|
|
Mon. Mar 28 |
16:30 |
Food lecture con’t |
Wang |
|
|
Tues. Mar 29 |
10:30 |
Too Cold or Too Hot (updated new lecture note) |
Wang |
|
|
Fri. April 1 |
14:30 |
“Too cold or too hot” con’t |
Wang |
|
|
Mon. April 4 |
16:30 |
Assignment due date is moved to
April 4th, 2011 |
Wang |
|
|
Tues. April 5 |
10:30 |
Wang |
||
|
Fri. Apr 8 |
14:30 |
Wang |
||