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MODULE:
Physiology and adaptation in plants and animals (PAPA)
MODULE NUMBER:
BIO00003C
JACS CODE:
C100
STAGE / YEAR:
1
CREDITS:
10
ORGANISER:
Richard Waites
SUBJECT COMMITTEE:
COB
VERSION:
November 2012
TERMS TAUGHT:
Au/SP/Su
RECOMMENDATIONS/PREREQUISITES: Students should have met the admissions
standards required by the Department of Biology for enrolment on the course.
SUMMARY:
This module concerns the basic physiology of plants and animals. Core topics are water
relations, gas exchange, nutrition and energy budgeting. In addition, the signalling systems,
such as the nervous system and hormone networks, that regulate and integrate these systems
will be considered. The focus on these central themes allows comparison of the strategies for
overcoming common problems both within and between the plant and animal kingdoms.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A knowledge of the major events in the evolutionary history of plants and animals and an
appreciation of the characteristics of major animal and plant phyla
An understanding of the adaptive significance, organisation and function of the principal
organ systems of animals, including the digestive, circulatory, excretory,
thermoregulatory and skeletal systems, and how these organ systems may vary with
animal body plan, size and environmental circumstance.
An understanding of the adaptive significance, organisation and function of the principal
organ systems of plants, including roots, stems, leaves, and flowers and how these
organ systems vary with plant body plan and environmental circumstance.
An appreciation of the diverse physiological strategies that allow plant and animal life in
different environments.
An understanding of the major regulatory systems that integrate physiological responses
in plants and animals
1
SYNOPSIS OF TEACHING:
Event
Duration
(Hrs)
L1
L2
1
1
L3
1
L4
1
L5
1
L6
1
L7
1
L8
1
P1
2
L9
1
P2
2
L10
1
Topic
Autumn Term
Tree of life: An overview of the diversity of plant and animal life.
Animal guts: The contribution of intracellular and extracellular
digestion to degradation of ingested food; digestive enzymes
and types of guts; absorption of nutrients.
Body fluids of animals: The composition and function of
extracellular fluids; diffusion and bulk flow of body fluids;
comparative physiology of animal circulatory systems, as
exemplified by the closed system of vertebrates and open
system of insects.
Osmotic relations of animals: The distinction between
osmoconforming and osmoregulating animals; osmoregulation
in fish and osmoregulation in terrestrial animals, both mammals
and insects; filtration and secretion excretory systems, as
exemplified by vertebrate kidneys and insect Malpighian tubules.
Skeletons: Rigid skeletons (both exoskeletons and
endoskeletons) and hydrostatic skeletons; the function of
skeletons in support, protection and muscle-based movement;
variation in characteristics of the skeleton with animal body size.
Exchange of respiratory gases: Gas exchange in aquatic and
terrestrial animals; the relationship between respiratory surfaces
and circulatory systems; the organs of gas exchange – lungs of
vertebrates, gills of fish and tracheae of insects.
Energy budgets: The use of oxygen consumption as an index of
metabolic rate; variation in energy expenditure between species
and with activity in both laboratory and field.
Body temperature and thermoregulation: The metabolic rate of
endotherms and ectotherms; factors contributing to the stable
body temperature of mammals; temporary endotherms,
especially insects.
Cell functional specialisation in Hydra: The students will
investigate the different cell types in a hydra at a structural and
functional level.
Control of Energy balance: Appetite, satiation, reward,
addiction, role of CNS and of neuro-and gastric peptides.
Organ functional specialisation: The students will dissect
locusts, squid, to investigate organs systems at a structural and
functional level.
Spring Term
Water in plants: Cuticles, root/shoot specialisation and
2
Staff
Room type
Timing
RW
STS
LT
LT
Wk 2
Wk 3
STS
LT
Wk 4
STS
LT
Wk 5
STS
LT
Wk 6
CJHE
LT
Wk 7
CJHE
LT
Wk 8
CJHE
LT
Wk 9
HVI
Biolabs
Wk 9
CJHE
LT
Wk 9
CJHE
STS
Biolabs
Wk 9
TH
LT
Wk 2
L11
1
L12
1
P3
2
L13
1
L14
1
L15
1
L16
1
P4
2
L17
1
L18
1
L19
1
W/Shop 1
W/Shop 2
4
vascularisation, stomata and transpiration. Drought adaptations.
Gas exchange in plants: CO2, stomata and the water/CO2
conflict. C4 and CAM photosynthesis.
Light: Specialisation for light acquisition – leaves, phyllotaxy,
photoreceptors, stem elongation growth, wood.
Cell functional specialisation: The students will investigate the
different cell types in a leaf epidermis at a structural and
functional level.
Mineral nutrition: N P K and micronutrients. Transporters and
ion uptake. Root growth strategies for maximising acquisition.
Nodulation and Mycorrhization.
Plant behaviour 1: Hormonal signalling and plant behaviour
using root exploration of the soil as an example.
Plant behaviour 2: Circadian rhythms and photoperiodism using
leaf movements and floral transition as examples.
Plant sex and the sessile growth habit: Pteropsida, megaspore
and evolution of seeds – Gymnosperms, Angiosperms: double
fertilisation, pollen dispersal and SI, outbreeding, coevolution of
insects and flowering plants, and mechanisms of pollination
success.
Organ functional specialisation: The students will dissect
flowers and stems to investigate organ systems at a structural
and functional level.
Life histories: Alternation of generations (plants, brown/green
algae, animals and fungi). Double fertilisation in seed plants.
Reproduction in flowering plants. Seed structure, function and
evolution. Seed dormancy: physiology; breaking dormancy.
Body plans and life styles: The contribution of evolutionary
history and ecological circumstance for shaping physiological
systems of plants and animals.
To explain the ‘Taxonomy, Diversity and Classification
Workshop’, and the ‘Invent an Organism’ exercise.
Summer Term
Synoptic activities
Taxonomy diversity and classification. This is a VLE based
workshop – no timetabled slot is required
Invent an organism: The students work in groups, using the VLE
to design a plant or an animal adapted to a specific allocated
environment. Each group presents its proposed organisms to
the class and explains the physiological basis for the design.
This 4hr session at the end for the results to be presented
Supported learning
3
TH
LT
Wk 3
TH
LT
Wk 4
RW
Biolabs
Wk 4
TH
LT
Wk 5
RW
LT
Wk 6
RW
LT
Wk 7
RW
LT
Wk 8
RW
Biolabs
Wk 8
RW
LT
W9
RW
LT
Wk 10
HVI
RW
TH
LT
Wk 10
LT
Wk 4
HVI
TH
RW
HVI
Session 1
2
Session 2
2
Q & A revision session on autumn term animal biology aspects,
to include working through example questions. (may be some
practical aspects)
Q & A revision session on spring term plant biology aspects, to
include working through example questions. (may be some
practical aspects)
STS
CJHE
Biolabs
TH
RW
Biolabs
KEY TEXTS: These are available in EARL which is accessible through the VLE module site.
ASSESSMENT:
Formative:
NO
Summative:
Yes
Re-assessment: Yes
DEMONSTRATING REQUIREMENTS:
P1-P4 require two demonstrators for the first hour and a half
MAXIMUM NUMBERS: 156
STUDENT WORKLOAD: students’ workload totalling 100 hours per 10 credit module
Lectures:
19
Workshops:
6
Supported learning sessions
Practicals:
8
Tutorials
Total Contact hours: 33
Assessments (formative and summative):
Private study:
65.5
4