Updated Syllabus, with links to readings other than text

Vertebrate Physiology (ECOL 437), Fall 2005
--Readings not to be accessed except by students currently enrolled in course--

Last Updated 07 December 2005

Check back often for changes to readings and schedules…

Text chapters are from:
Richard W. Hill, Gordon A. Wyse, and Margaret Anderson, Animal Physiology, 2004, Sinauer, 769 pp., 539 illustrations ISBN: 0-87893-315-8



23 Aug: Lecture 1 (or as 6 slides/page)
Introduction to course and to vertebrate physiology (CH1)

24 Aug: Discussion 1
Introduction to primary literature, readings, other assignments, term paper, oral presentation; sign up for lab presentation

25 Aug: Lecture 2 (or as 6 slides/page)
Overview of membranes and biological compounds (CH2)

30 Aug: Lecture 3 (see above unfinished lecture file from 25 August)
Overview of membranes and biological compounds (CH2)

31 Aug: Discussion 2
Physiology in context: Lienhard et al. 1992, Nesse and Williams 1998
(evolution exercise)
Lienhard, G. E., J. W. Slot, D. E. James, and M. M. Mueckler. 1992. How cells absorb glucose. Sci. Am. 1992(Jan):86-91.
Nesse, R. M. and G. C. Williams. 1998. Evolution and the origins of disease. Sci. Am. 1998(Nov):86-93.

01 Sept: Lecture 4, (or as 6 slides/page)
Overview of solute transport and water (CH3)

06 Sept: Lecture 5, (or as 6 slides/page)
Introduction to the Nervous System (CH10)
Neurons (CH11)

07 Sept: Discussion 3
Cotransporters, Ion Concentrations; Pelis et al. 2001
(Nernst and Goldman equations) Problems to complete in lab
Pelis, R. M., J. Zydlewski, and S. D. McCormick 2001. Gill Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter abundance and location in Atlantic salmon: effects of seawater and smolting. Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol. 280:R1844-R1852.

08 Sept: Lecture 6, (or as 6 slides/page)
Neurons (CH11), and Synapses (CH12)

13 Sept: Lecture 7, (or as 6 slides/page)
Synapses (CH12), Sensory Processes (CH13)

14 Sept: Discussion 4
Specialized senses; Catania 2002, Barinaga 1999, Malakoff 1999
(plan touch receptor-fields experiment)
Catania, K. C. 2002. The nose takes a starring role. Sci. Am. 2002(July):54-59.
Barinaga, M. 1999. Salmon follow watery odors home. Science 286:705-706.
Malakoff, D. 1999. Following the scent of avian olfaction. Science 286:704-705.

15 Sept: Lecture 8, (or as 6 slides/page)
Sensory Processes (CH13), Kristen Potter, guest lecture

20 Sept: Lecture 9, (or as 6 slides/page)
Sensory Processes (CH13), Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Function (CH14)

21 Sept: Discussion 5
(touch receptor fields experiment), preparation for exam 1

22 Sept: Lecture 10
Midterm Lecture EXAM 1 (covers lectures 1-8 and relevant discussions; CH1-3, 10-13)
2005 Exam 1 KEY
2004 First Exam
2003 First Exam
2004 Review Sheet for Exam 1
2005 Review Sheet for Exam 1

27 Sept: Lecture 11, (or as 6 slides/page)
Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Function (CH14), Reproduction (CH15)

28 Sept: Discussion 6
Exam 1 return, discuss term papers
Hormones; Ulmann et al. 1990, DeNardo and Sinervo 1994
Ulmann, A., G. Teutsch, and D. Philibert. 1990. RU 486. Sci. Am. 262(June):42-48.
DeNardo, D. F. and B. Sinervo. 1994. Effects of corticosterone on activity and home-range size of free-ranging male lizards. Hormones and Behavior 28:53-65.

29 Sept: Lecture 12, (or as 6 slides/page)
Navigation (CH16)
Term Paper Topic and Annotated Reference (5) List Due

04 Oct: Lecture 13, (or as 6 slides/page)
Muscles and movement (CH17&18)

05 Oct: Discussion 7
Locomotion and movement; Wilson et al. 2002, Dickinson et al. 2000
(muscle/movement/dissection lab)
Wilson, R. S., R. S. James, and R. Van Damme. 2002. Trade-offs between speed and endurance in the frog Xenopus laevis: a multi-level approach. J Exp Biol 205:1145-1152.
Dickinson, M. H., C. T. Farley, R. J. Full, M. A. R. Koehl, R. Kram, and S. Lehman. 2000. How animals move: an integrative view. Science 288:100-106.

06 Oct: Lecture 14, (or as 6 slides/page)
The pdf lecture files for Lect 14 have far more slides than we will cover in class, the rest we will get to on 11 October.
Muscles and movement (CH17&18)

11 Oct: Lecture 15: See above lecture 14 file for slides we will cover today.
(thanks to Randi Weinstein, Gail Koshland, and Cindy Rankin for some of these slides)
Muscle... (CH17-19)
OPTIONAL: Short, neat article on Toxins from Natural History Magazine

12 Oct: Discussion 8
Muscle, Lance Armstrong, Lizard Locomotion, Coyle 2005, Bonine et al. 2001
Coyle, E. F. 2005. Improved muscular efficiency displayed as Tour de France champion matures. J Appl Physiol 98:2191-2196.
Bonine, K. E., T. T. Gleeson, and T. Garland, Jr. 2001. Comparative analysis of fiber-type composition in the iliofibularis muscle of phrynosomatid lizards (Squamata). J Morph 250:265-280.

13 Oct: Lecture 16, (or as 6 slides/page)
More Muscle
Term Paper First Draft Due (can also be turned in on 18 October with no penalty)

18 Oct: Lecture 17, (or as 6 slides/page)
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide, External Respiration (CH20&21)

19 Oct: Discussion 9
Circulation, Lillywhite 1988; Zapol, 1987; prepare for exam 2
Lillywhite, H. B. 1988. Snakes, blood circulation and gravity. Sci. Am. 259(Dec):92-98.
Zapol, W. M. 1987. Diving adaptations of the Weddell seal. Sci. Am. 256(6):100-105.

20 Oct: Lecture 18
Midterm Lecture EXAM 2 (Endocrine, Navigation, Muscle; covers lectures 9-15 and related discussions; CH14-19)
KEY, Exam2 2005
Review For Exam 2, 2005 (word file)
Review For Exam 2, 2004 (word file)
Exam 2 from 2003
Exam 2 from 2004

25 Oct: Lecture 19, (or as 6 slides/page)
Gas Transport in the body, Circulation (CH22&23)

26 Oct: Discussion 10
Circulation and Respiration
discuss term papers, return exams
(heart, pulse, BP, circulation)

27 Oct: Lecture 20, (or as 6 slides/page)
(lecture 20 has slides already in the file for lecture 19)
Gas Transport in the body, Circulation (CH22&23)

01 Nov: Lecture 21, (or as 6 slides/page)
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Wrap-Up (CH20-24)
Water and Salt (CH25&26)

02 Nov: Discussion 11
continue previous lab, Circulation and Respiration
Blood Chemistry and Buffering; Jackson et al. 2000
Jackson, D. C., A. L. Ramsey, J. M. Paulson, C. E. Crocker, G. R. Ultsch. 2000. Lactic acid buffering by bone and shell in anoxic softshell and painted turtles. Physiological and Biochemical Zool. 73:290-297.
Kidney and Excretion/Urine lab

03 Nov: Lecture 22, (or as 6 slides/page)
Water and Salt (CH25&26)
Kidneys and Excretion (CH27)

08 Nov: Lecture 23
Ionic and osmotic balance, kidney function (CH25-28); Eldon Braun-guest Braun's lecture 2005, (or as 6 slides/page)
(Braun's lecture 2004)

09 Nov: Discussion 12
Term-Paper Peer-Review (bring paper draft for peers with codename)

10 Nov: Lecture 24, (or as 6 slides/page)
Osmoregulation, Kidneys, Excretion (CH25-28)

15 Nov: Lecture 25, (or as 6 slides/page)
Osmoregulation, Kidneys, Excretion (CH25-28)

16 Nov: Discussion 13
Drought Effects, Henen et al. 1998
Prepare for exam 3
Henen, B. T., C. C. Peterson, I. R. Wallis, K. H. Berry, and K. A. Nagy. 1998. Effects of climatic variation on field metabolism and water relations in desert tortoises. Oecologia 117:365-373.

17 Nov: Lecture 26
Midterm Lecture EXAM 3 (O2, CO2, Circulation, Water, Salt, Kidneys; covers lectures 16-25 and related discussions, CH20-28)
2005 EXAM 3 KEY, posted 27 Nov 2005
2003 Exam3
2004 Exam3
Exam 3 Review Sheet 2004
Exam 3 Review Sheet 2005

22 Nov: Lecture 27, (or as 6 slides/page)
Nutrition, Feeding, Digestion (CH4)
Energy Metabolism (CH5)
Optional Readings:
Outside Magazine Article about Joe Slowinski and snake bite
Nature article about evolution of snake/lizard venom
Science Times (NYTimes) article about evolution of snake/lizard venom

23 Nov: No Discussion (work on term papers, no formal lab meeting)

24 Nov: Thanksgiving (no lecture)

29 Nov: Lecture 28, (or as 6 slides/page)
Nutrition, Feeding, Digestion (CH4)
Energy Metabolism (CH5)
[ATP Production (CH6), Energetics of Activity (CH7)]

30 Nov: Discussion 14
Physiology and Altered Environments, Mendes 2002; Hayes et al. 2002
Mendes, J. J. A. 2002. The endocrine disrupters: a major medical challenge. Food and Chemical Toxicology 40:781-788.
Hayes, T. B., A. Collins, M. Lee, M. Mendoza, N. Noriega, A. A. Stuart, and A. Vonk. 2002. Hermaphroditic, demasculinized frogs after exposure to the herbicide atrazine at low ecologically relevant doses. PNAS 99:5476-5480.


01 Dec: Lecture 29, (or as 6 slides/page)
Nutrition, Feeding, Digestion (CH4)
Energy Metabolism (CH5)
[ATP Production (CH6), Energetics of Activity (CH7)]

Term Paper Final Draft Due

06 Dec: Lecture 30, (or as 6 slides/page)
Energy Metabolism (CH5)
[ATP Production (CH6), Energetics of Activity (CH7)]
Environmental Challenges: Heat (CH8), Cold (CH9)
Wrap-Up
(Please get your powerpoint file to KEB by 1600h)

07 Dec: Discussion 15
Student Oral Presentations (bring one page handout for labmates and instructors)


16 Dec: Final Exam
Thursday, 8:00-10:00; cumulative, but more details from material since 3rd midterm
Review Sheet for last portion of course 2004
Review Sheet for last portion of course 2005

(30 lecture meetings, 15 lab meetings)


RETURN TO ECOL 437, 2005 HOMEPAGE