The student can describe the following concepts and notions using his/her own words and with examples: - The role of adaptation and acclimation in Darwin's theory of evolution;
- A “Panglossian paradigm”, the difference between an adaptation and an exaptation (according to Gould);
- What is the context of "adaptation" in Gould and Lewontin's theory of punctuated equilibrium;
- Phenotypical plasticity, the difference between adaptation and acclimation;
- General biochemical principles in the adaptation/acclimation of enzymes and membranes to changes in temperature;
- Fundamental physiology of calcium metabolism and calcitropic hormones;
- Consequences of (increased) body size on physiology and anatomy of organisms, using quantitative relationships (allometric power functions);
- Allometric coefficient in a power function and its interpretation
- Allostasis, or “constancy through change”
- Integration of evolutionary and physiological concepts in a symbiontic relationship.
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This series of lectures focuses on organismal physiology: regulatory mechanisms in the intact animal are addressed (Integrative Physiology). The central theme is how animals (including humans) have adapted to realise a dynamic interaction and to cope with continuously changing environmental conditions. Homeostatic and allostatic principles are discussed. Students (in groups) will read a research paper and give a plenary oral presentation to their fellows.
The course content is centered around the themes: - Adaptation and evolution
- Temperature adaptation
- Allostasis
- Allometry
- Phenotypic plasticity
When appropriate, topics that received attention in recent papers and science sections of news papers will be addressed.
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