Home page of Dr. David S. Richard

Biology 310:01 Animal Physiology.
Course outline
Spring 2008

Additional material

Course Objectives: To gain an understanding of and appreciation for the physiological complexities of animals. Students will be able to describe how different animals are adapted to environmental conditions and are able to deal with life processes such as nerve and muscle function, respiration, circulation, osmotic balance and excretion, and thermoregulation in their particular niches. The ability of humans to cope with a widfe range of environmental conditions will also be considered. 3 lecture hours.

Meeting Times:

• 10:00 to 11:35 Tue/Thur Lectures. Bogar Hall 213 (3 credits)

Instructor:

• Dr. David S. Richard: Fisher Hall 217.
• Telephone and voice mail: 4206
• email: richard@susqu.edu
• Web http://www. susqu.edu/facStaff/r/richard/

Office Hours:

• By appointment.

Text:

• Principles of Animal Physiology. 2nd Edition. Christopher D. Moyes and Patricia M. Shulte . Pearson/Benjamin Cummings Press. 2008

Assessment:

• Midterm examination #1 Thursday Feb 14th (Valentine's Day!). (20%)
• Midterm examination #2 Thursday March 27th. (20%)
• Midterm examination #3 Saturday May 3rd. 11:30 to 1:30 (20%)
  

These three examinations will comprise 60% of the final grade for the course. All grading mistakes on the examinations must be discussed before the start of the next examination after which the scores become etched in stone.

Cummulative take-home final. 15% . Due by Saturday May 3rd at 11:30

The final examination will cover material from the whole course.

The remaining 25% will be assessed on a term paper to be due by April 1st (No fooling!)

Review sessions:

• We will spend a little time in the class prior to each of the exams reviewing any questions you might have.

Course Material

• Introduction Chapters 1 and 2
  
• Neurobiology Ion pumps and electrical gradients. Nerves and impulses. Synapses and neurotransmitters.
  
• Muscles Proteins and structure, energy, control and
  and movements contraction, muscle types.
  
• Respiration and property of gases, Terrestrial respiration, mammalian and avian
  lungs, Insect trachea, skin, Aquatic respiration, diffusion, gills.
  
• Blood Oxygen and CO2 transportation, dissociation curves. Swim bladder.
  
• Circulation Vertebrate hearts, flow in tubes, invertebrate circulation.
  
• Water Osmotic regulation and excretion, kidneys, aquatic water regulation, nitrogen excretion
  
• Temperature Adaptations to extremes, regulation in birds and mammals, cold blooded animals.