BIO-3030 Extreme animal physiology - 20 stp

The course is mandatory for MSc students in biology on the Arctic Animal Physiology specialization program.

This course is available as a singular course.

The course is taught over two terms starting in autumn, with final exam in the spring term.

Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS. A minimum of 10 ECTS general animal physiology (BIO-2002 or equivalent) is mandatory.

Local admission, application code 9371 - Master`s level singular course.

Knowledge and understanding:

The successful student

• has thorough knowledge on the abiotic conditions that characterize different environments, with particular focus on extreme environments, including those found in the polar regions
• has specialized insight into the anatomical and physiological adaptations enabling animals to survive in extreme environments in their different aspects - pertaining to water and electrolyte balance, bioenergetics and nutrition, oxygen demands, and coordination through endocrine and neuronal mechanisms

• understands and can explain, from a comparative and integrative perspective, the scientific approaches used to study physiological adaptations of various animals , related to their oxygen supply, to thermal-, energy-, and water- balance, and to the homeostatic control mechanisms that regulate their ‘milieu intérieur’ in relation to these factors.
• Is aware of research ethics in relation to research animal welfare, and of the regulation of animal research under Norwegian law.

Skills:

The student can

• discuss and explain how different fundamental physiological principles and adaptive mechanisms relate to the ability of different species to survive in a variety of extreme environments
• discuss and explain how the functions of organs are modified and adapted in organisms that live under different environmental conditions
• discuss and explain how a range of scientific experimental approaches have led to current understanding of physiological adaptations to environmental challenges (incl. innovative research approaches)
• discuss and explain how physiological mechanisms may limit or potentiate the process of evolutionary adaptation
• plan and conduct experiments in animal physiology, employing relevant research methods, with reference to animal welfare regulation where relevant
• collect data independently or during practical exercises, under field conditions or in the laboratory
• analyse data from animal physiology experiments in an independent manner

General competence:

The student

• can apply gained knowledge and available information to plan and carry out own research in animal physiology (e.g., own MSc project)
• understands the process of generating scientific knowledge
• can analyze and critically evaluate data obtained through own data collection or as reported by others in relevant scientific literature
• can analyze and critically review and communicate current scientific knowledge, both orally and in writing
• can review and extract relevant information from scientific literature in the process of presenting and discussing own research findings or other topics
• can present written scientific content clearly and in logical order while using language appropriate for the audience and occasion
• has the ability to work / cooperate in a group addressing a specific problem and writing up results and conclusions in a report

Hours distributed approximately equally between the two terms:

Lectures, seminars, journal club* - 50 x 2 hrs;

Labs, at campus or in the field: 24 hrs in total, distributed between autumn (~9 hrs) and spring (~15 hrs)

Oral presentations: ~2 hrs;

Remaining assignments, including preparing oral presentations, home assignments, own reading - ~300 hrs

*Journal club: allows students to dive into some of the topics = student-led and student-active learning.

Students are expected and required to have fulfilled safety courses HMS-0501, HMS-0502, HMS-0503 and HMS-0504. Additionally, specific mandatory safety teaching as needed, e.g., relating to any excursions.