| CODE | BIO3050 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Animal Form and Function 2 | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Biology | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit, which is a continuation of BIO2030, reviews how adaptations in animal morphology and physiology have been adopted and evolved by invertebrates and vertebrates in their interactions with their environment. In addition to any themes which may have been incompletely covered in BIO2030 and which would therefore need to be concluded here, the following topics will be covered: 1. Nutrition and digestion: comparative review of different life forms; 2. Gaseous exchange and respiratory surfaces; 3. Circulation: the biomechanics of circulatory systems. Diversity of designs; 4. Support: material properties; hydrostatic support, designs for mechanical support, a comparative account of vertebrate skeletons; 5. Osmo-ionic regulation and excretion; 6. Reproductive strategies; 7. Metabolism and energy relations: Energetics, temperature relations, energetics of reproduction, ectothermy and endothermy; 8. Vertebrate designs: a brief review of the vertebrate body plans, body designs and adaptations in amphibians, synapsids and sauropsids, avian and mammalian specializations. The practical component for this study-unit will take the form of a group mini-project assigned to different groups of students. Each group will be given a specific investigation which they will need to complete within a specified period of time. They will be required to make a literature review of the theme to be investigated. On the basis of this review and in view of the facilities which may be available, design the experimental approach to be adopted as well as the manner in which they will undertake the investigation, with minimal supervision. At the end, they will be required to present their results and conclusions during a class seminar. Furthermore, students are informed that regular lecture attendance is obligatory. A grade may be awarded to a particular study-unit only if the student's attendance to lectures and practical sessions has been regular. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to identify the basic and comparative aspects of the morphological and functional strategies from a mechanistic approach. The evolutionary significance of the relationship between the form and function of animals and the environment will be emphasized throughout the study-unit. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Identify the underlying basic strategies of animal adaptations for survival in a wide range of habitats; - Describe and compare such adaptations with particular reference to feeding and digestion, gaseous exchange, circulation of body fluids, body support, osmo-ionic regulation, reproductive strategies, metabolism and energy relations; - Identify, analyze and describe the fundamental physical constrains within which animal form is related to function (with special reference to the body functions already identified); - Explain basic vertebrate designs and body plans and their adaptations, with particular reference to the transition between an aquatic and terrestrial mode of life. 2. Skills Through the undertaking of the mini-project, the student will be expected to gain a number of generic skills. In particular, given a specific investigation to undertake, the student will be able to: - formulate a set of experimentally testable hypotheses/is; - undertake a literature review of the theme to be investigated; - develop an appropriate experimental design in order to test the identified hypotheses; - undertake the investigation with minimal supervision and within the constraints of time and availability of resources; - record all results in the most appropriate manner; - critically analyze the results obtained and apply the appropriate statistical tests where appropriate; - discuss such results and reach appropriate conclusions; - work in a group in order to achieve the above; - participate and record group discussions; - communicate the findings of the group’s investigation both in writing and verbally, in the most appropriate manner. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: KARDONG, K. V. (Latest edition). Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution. Supplementary Readings: RANDALL,D. BURGGREN, W., FRENCH, K. Eckert Animal Physiology: Mechanisms and Adaptations, (Latest edition. Freeman. New York. SCHMIDT-NIELSEN, K (Latest edition) Animal physiology. Adaptation and environment. [5th ed] Cambridge University Press. HILL,R.W., WYSE, G. (Latest edition) Animal Physiology. 2nd Edition. Harper Collins. Publishers. WILLMER, P., STONE, G. JOHNSTON, I. (Latest edition) Environmental Physiology of Animals. Blackwell Science. VOGEL, S. (Latest edition). Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite: B.Sc. (Hons) 1st Year and 2nd Year Study-Units or equivalent and in particular BIO2030. Students are to note that they will be allowed to sit for this study-unit examination and will be awarded a grade only if they have regularly attended lectures and practical classes, if they have submitted any assignments, including practical reports and if they satisfy all other study-unit requirements. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Practical | ||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Joseph A. Borg Julian Evans Sandro Lanfranco |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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