Ecophysiology

In their struggle for survival, organisms have to adapt continuously to changes in their abiotic and biotic environment. This course focuses on the molecular mechanisms and consequences of these adaptations for individual organisms and interactions among organisms. Attention will be paid to various (a)biotic conditions and the physiological response of organisms to these conditions, from cellular to organismal level. In particular, we discuss heat-stress and osmotic stress. We also pay attention to the physical properties of the environment and how organisms deal with these properties, for instance in acoustic communication. Finally, we focus on human-induced changes in the environment and how organisms are affected by these changes. Common mechanisms and key concepts across kingdoms underlying adaptation, plasticity, and trade-offs will be analyzed in depth. Examples will be shown how environmental conditions affect signal transduction pathways leading to adaptive changes in ecology, behavior and phenology.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• Explain adaptation mechanisms of organisms in response to biotic and abiotic stress factors, and how these affect their ecology
• Give examples of common patterns across kingdoms underlying adaptation and plasticity
• Translate the effects of changing environmental conditions into adaptations in behaviour, phenology, and ecology
• Perform experiments in ecophysiology
• Interpret data from experiments in ecophysiology
• Motivate an experiment on an ecophysiological topic

Mandatory Knowledge:
ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety
Assumed Knowledge:
PEN10503 Ecology I;
PEN20503 Ecology II;
CBI10306 Celbiology.