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COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE PHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 323
Wednesdays, 11:30-2:45

 

COURSE INFORMATION

Faculty:  Dr. Edward Saiff
Office:  G-300B
Office Hours:  Tuesdays 10:00-12:00, or by appointment
Phone:  201-684-7723
email:  esaiff@ramapo.edu

TEXTBOOKS

Required:    Pough, F. Harvey, et. al., 2005, Vertebrate Life, 7th edition, Prentice Hall.
Ganong, W.F., 2005, Review of Medical Physiology, 22nd edition, McGraw Hill.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of the classification of vertebrates.
  • Students will be able to relate basic embryology to the structure and function of vertebrate organ systems.
  • Students will be able to describe the relationship between the musculoskeletal system and the varying means of locomotion of vertebrates.
  • Students will understand the physiology of the major organ systems using the human condition as a basis to compare with other vertebrates.
  • Students will be able to compare the physiology of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates.
  • Students will understand the differences between ectothermic and endothermic organisms.
  • Students will be able to relate the ecology of a vertebrate to its physiology.

TEACHING METHODS

This is a lecture/discussion class.  Classroom discussion and questions are encouraged.  There will be two exams during the semester and a final exam.  Students will write a term paper on a topic relevant to the course.  The topic will be approved by the course instructor.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

A.

GRADING POLICY

The two exams, the final and the term paper will each count for 25% of the course grade.

B.

GRADING SCALE

100=A, 92=A-, 88=B+, 85=B,  82=B-, 78=C+, 75=C,  72=C-, 68=D+, 65=D, 62=D-,  60=F

C.

EXTRA CREDIT

No extra credit is allowed.  Students are encouraged to direct all their energies and resources to the assigned course work.

D.

MAKE-UP EXAMS

None will be offered.

E.

ATTENDANCE

You must attend each class.  On the third absence, a student will be dropped from the course.

F.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Students requiring academic adjustments or auxiliary aids for the class due to a disability should see the instructor during the first week of class.

SEMESTER PLAN

We will follow the sequence in the outline below.  A few weeks after the class begins, when we see how much we can cover in each lecture, I'll assign dates to topics.  The term paper will be due on December 5.  The final will be according to the College Calendar.

 

Introduction (Pough et al, Chapter 1)

A.

Vertebrate Story

B.

Evolution Refresher

Vertebrate Relationships (Pough et al, Chapter 2)

A.

What Defines a Vertebrate?

B.

Vertebrate Embryology

C.

Tissue Types

D.

Skeletomuscular System (Ganong, Chapters 3 & 21)

Acquiring Energy and Support of Metabolism*

A.

Feeding and Digestion (Ganong, Chapters 25 and 26)

B.

Respiration and Ventilation (Ganong, Chapters 34, 35, 36)

C.

Cardiovascular (Ganong, Chapters 28, 29, 31)

D.

Blood (Ganong, Chapter 27)

E.

Blood Vessels (Ganong, Chapter 30)

F.

Lymphatics (Ganong, Chapter 30)

G.

Excretory (Ganong, Chapter 38)

H.

Reproduction (Ganong, Chapter 23)

I.

Nervous System and Sense Organs (Ganong, Chapters 2, 4-11)

J.

Endocrine (Ganong, Chapters 22, 18-20)

 

* Pough covers many of these topics -- check the subject index.

Early Vertebrates (Pough et al, Chapter  3)

A.

Jawless Fishes

B.

Moving to Jawed Fishes

Aquatic Vertebrates/Life in Water (Pough et al, Chapter 4)

A.

Gills

B.

Buoyancy

C.

Sensations

D.

 Kidney and Water Balance

E.

Living in Fresh Water

F.

Temperature Issues

  • Endothermy and Ectothermy

G.

Sharks (Pough et al, Chapter 5)

Bony fishes (Pough et al, Chapter 6)

A.

Sarcopterygians

B.

Actinopterygians

Terrestrial Ectotherms (Pough et al, Chapter 8)

A.

Life on Land

  • Musculoskeletal System
  • Respiration
  • Cardiovascular
  • Nervous/Sensory
  • Conserving Water
  • Temperature Control

B.

Tetrapod Origins (Pough et al, Chapter 9)

C.

Amniotes (Pough et al Chapter 9)

D.

Amphibians (Pough et al, Chapter 10)

  • Metamorphosis
  • Water and Gas Exchange

Turtles (Pough et al, Chapter 12)

Lizards and Snakes (Pough et al, Chapter 13)

 

Thermoregulation

Ectothermy (Pough et al, Chapter 14)

 

Ecotherms in the Heat

 

Ecotherms in the Cold

Dinosaurs, Birds and Crocodiles (Pough et al, Chapter 16)

A.

Archosaurs

B.

Crocodiles

C.

Dinosaurs

D.

Early Birds

Avian Specializations  (Pough et al, Chapter 17)

A.

Structure of Birds

B.

Aerodynamics

C.

Hind Limbs

D.

Bird Ecology and Behavior

  • Feeding
  • Sensory Systems
  • Respiration

Mammals *

A.

Synapsida and the Evolution of Mammals (Pough et al, Chapter 18)

B.

Mammalian Characteristics (Pough et al, Chapter 20)

  • Mammalian Specializations (Pough et al, Chapter 21)

Endothermy - High Energy Metabolism (Pough et al, Chapter 22)

Mammalian Body Size, Ecology and Social Behavior (Pough et al, Chapter 23)

Primate Evolution and the Emergence of Humans (Pough et al, Chapter 24)

 

 

 

* If there is time at the end of the semester, the class can decide which materials to cover from Pough chapters 21, 22, 23 and 24.