Course Essentials
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Course Description
This course will cover cell, animal, and plant physiology. You will learn the similarities and differences between various organisms at different scales. I hope you will gain an appreciation of the common themes that are present in physiological systems, as well as the differences!!
If you've taken physiology before, it's likely that you covered some of this material in more detail, but there will also be material that you likely haven't covered at all. And, no matter what your favorite organism is, you'll likely learn something new about them!!
Learning Objectives:
This class will allow you to understand and discuss the following:
Regulation and homeostasis.
Movement of materials and solutes in both animal and plant systems.
The importance and function of the cell membrane/wall.
Signal transduction.
The interrelationship between structure and function in both plants and animals.
Animal organ systems and plant tissue systems.
Bioenergetics and energy exchange.
Thermal Physiology.
Origins of physiological diversity.
The importance of surface area: volume ratios.
How the environment impacts the physiology of organisms.
Compare and contrast physiological systems in different organisms.
Text Book
Raven et al. 2020. Biology. Plant and Animals 12th ed. McGraw-Hill.
ISBN10: 1260169618
ISBN13: 9781260169614
This text will serve as your primary reference for this course, along with lecture notes. The text will be helpful to verify and improve your understanding of lecture information. Other editions of the book are fine, but the chapter numbers may not match the syllabus exactly.
Exam questions will be taken from oral class discussions, lecture notes, this textbook, and Slack discussions.
Canvas
All course materials, quizzes, exams, and assignments will be posted on Canvas. You will need to have consistent access to that page throughout the course. You will find all lecture readings, Powerpoint presentations, lab materials, and Zoom links on Canvas. I will also have due dates for exams and other assignments posted on the Canvas calendar.
Slack
Slack will be used to enhance communication between you, your classmates, and myself. I will use it to communicate with you, but it will also be a way for you to contact me, share cool things related to the course, and ask questions. Please see the Course Communication Plan page for more information.