Comparative Physiology of Marine Organisms

Catalog description

This course will provide an introduction to the physiology of marine organisms utilizing a comparative approach. The lecture will introduce the topics of respiration, circulation, metabolism, osmoregulation, thermoregulation, locomation and sensory systems by drawing comparisons between the mechanisms and strategies utilized by a wide range of marine organisms. Laboratory and field work will focus on the physiological responses of marine plants and animals to common environmental stresses such as salt load, temperature variation, depletion of dissolved oxygen, and tidal flux. This will be accomplished through measurements and observations in the field, as well as through experimental manipulations in a laboratory setting. Students with a semester level of Freshman 1, Freshman 2 or Sophomore 1 may not enroll.