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  2. Ecophysiology [SCI3114]

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Ecophysiology

  • Unit Code

    SCI3114

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

Ecological conditions are strong evolutionary drivers of physiological mechanisms required for survival and persistence of plants and animals. Through a comparative approach to physiology students will explore the diverse ways in which organisms have adapted to their environment. Note that practical activities in this unit include use of animals, animal products and/or tissues. Alternative activities are available for students with conscientious objection. All activities comply with Animal Welfare legislation and NHMRC Guidelines and, where appropriate, are approved by the ECU Animal Ethics Committee.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Compare and contrast physiological responses to environmental temperature regimes in animals and plants.
  2. Compare and contrast the physiological mechanisms used by plants and animals to harness and use energy in a variety of ecological settings.
  3. Describe hormonal regulation of growth and development in plants and animals and explain its relationship to the environment.
  4. Discuss comparative adaptations in plants and animals to marine, estuarine, freshwater and terrestrial environments.
  5. Discuss important organismal interactions.
  6. Explain comparative adaptations in animals and plants to acquire and use nutrients and other resources within their environment.
  7. Gather, analyse and present physiological data using appropriate methods in small student groups.

Unit Content

  1. Conducting, analysing and reporting physiological experiments.
  2. Ecological context of feeding strategies, digestion and respiration and locomotion in aquatic, terrestrial and aerial environments in animals; circulatory and respiratory systems in animals.
  3. Ecological context of plant photosynthesis, respiration and translocation in plants.
  4. Environmental influences and adaptations in life cycles and growth.
  5. Hormonal (and neural) control mechanisms, growth regulation, development and responses to environmental cues.
  6. Ion and water balance with respect to environment and diet selection in animals: iono- and osmoregulation, excretion, aestivation.
  7. Mineral nutrition and water relations in plants; effects of radiation and temperature; scaling of gas exchange and energy balance.
  8. Symbiotic associations; allelopathy and defence; responses to pathogens.
  9. Thermal physiology in animals: thermoregulation, torpor and hibernation.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, seminars and laboratory work.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Research PaperGroup seminar paper20%
Laboratory WorkLaboratory and practical reports50%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination30%

Text References

  • ^ Lambers, H., Chapin, F.S. III., & Pons, T.L. (2008). Plant physiological ecology (2nd ed.). New York NY: Springer.
  • ^ Moyes, C.D., & Schulte, P.M. (2008). Principles of animal physiology (2nd ed.). San Francisco CA: Pearson.
  • Eddy, F.B. (2012). Ecological and environmental physiology of fishes. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Stewart, P. (2011). Plant physiology. Hoboken NJ: CRC Press.
  • Harrison, J.F., Woods, H.A., & Roberts, S.P. (2012). Ecological and environmental physiology of insects. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Hayat, S., Mori, M., Pichtel, J., & Ahmad, A. (Eds.). (2010). Nitric oxide in plant physiology. Weinheim Germany: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • McCormik, S.D. (2013). Fish physiology Vol 32. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.
  • Poole, R.K. (2012). Advances in microbial physiology. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.
  • Shabala, S. (2012). Plant stress physiology. Wallingford UK: CABI.
  • Cobb, A.H., & Reade, J.P.H. (2010). Herbicides and plant pysiology. Hoboken NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Casas, J. (2011). Spider physiology and behaviour: Physiology. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.
  • Farrell, A.P. (2011). Encyclopedia of fish physiology: From genome to environment. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

SCI3114|1|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Ecophysiology

  • Unit Code

    SCI3114

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

Ecological conditions are strong evolutionary drivers of physiological mechanisms required for survival and persistence of plants and animals. Through a comparative approach to physiology students will explore the diverse ways in which organisms have adapted to their environment. Note that practical activities in this unit include use of animals, animal products and/or tissues. Alternative activities are available for students with conscientious objection. All activities comply with Animal Welfare legislation and NHMRC Guidelines and, where appropriate, are approved by the ECU Animal Ethics Committee.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Compare and contrast physiological responses to environmental temperature regimes in animals and plants.
  2. Compare and contrast the physiological mechanisms used by plants and animals to harness and use energy in a variety of ecological settings.
  3. Describe hormonal regulation of growth and development in plants and animals and explain its relationship to the environment.
  4. Discuss comparative adaptations in plants and animals to marine, estuarine, freshwater and terrestrial environments.
  5. Discuss important organismal interactions.
  6. Explain comparative adaptations in animals and plants to acquire and use nutrients and other resources within their environment.
  7. Gather, analyse and present physiological data using appropriate methods in small student groups.

Unit Content

  1. Conducting, analysing and reporting physiological experiments.
  2. Ecological context of feeding strategies, digestion and respiration and locomotion in aquatic, terrestrial and aerial environments in animals; circulatory and respiratory systems in animals.
  3. Ecological context of plant photosynthesis, respiration and translocation in plants.
  4. Environmental influences and adaptations in life cycles and growth.
  5. Hormonal (and neural) control mechanisms, growth regulation, development and responses to environmental cues.
  6. Ion and water balance with respect to environment and diet selection in animals: iono- and osmoregulation, excretion, aestivation.
  7. Mineral nutrition and water relations in plants; effects of radiation and temperature; scaling of gas exchange and energy balance.
  8. Symbiotic associations; allelopathy and defence; responses to pathogens.
  9. Thermal physiology in animals: thermoregulation, torpor and hibernation.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, seminars and laboratory work.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Research PaperGroup seminar paper20%
Laboratory WorkLaboratory and practical reports50%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination30%

Text References

  • ^ Lambers, H., Chapin, F.S. III., & Pons, T.L. (2008). Plant physiological ecology (2nd ed.). New York NY: Springer.
  • ^ Moyes, C.D., & Schulte, P.M. (2008). Principles of animal physiology (2nd ed.). San Francisco CA: Pearson.
  • Eddy, F.B. (2012). Ecological and environmental physiology of fishes. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Stewart, P. (2011). Plant physiology. Hoboken NJ: CRC Press.
  • Harrison, J.F., Woods, H.A., & Roberts, S.P. (2012). Ecological and environmental physiology of insects. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Hayat, S., Mori, M., Pichtel, J., & Ahmad, A. (Eds.). (2010). Nitric oxide in plant physiology. Weinheim Germany: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • McCormik, S.D. (2013). Fish physiology Vol 32. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.
  • Poole, R.K. (2012). Advances in microbial physiology. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.
  • Shabala, S. (2012). Plant stress physiology. Wallingford UK: CABI.
  • Cobb, A.H., & Reade, J.P.H. (2010). Herbicides and plant pysiology. Hoboken NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Casas, J. (2011). Spider physiology and behaviour: Physiology. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.
  • Farrell, A.P. (2011). Encyclopedia of fish physiology: From genome to environment. Burlington MA: Elsevier Science.

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

SCI3114|1|2