BIO2242 - Animal Structure & Function

• Unit information
• General Unit Information & Objectives
• Specific Unit Information

General Unit Information

Animals are everywhere! From the wind-swept Antarctic where the temperature plummets to minus 50 degrees C, to the deepest, marine abyss which is in perpetual darkness. Animal life is also exceedingly diverse, and it exhibits an almost endless variety of structural and functional modifications. What has led to this enormous variety? although so diverse in form, why is it that on closer examination there are many commonalities in functional anatomy, physiology and behaviour between animals? It is clear that, whatever the structure, evolutionary history or ecology of animals, all have certain common requirements needed to achieve, at least potentially, their own individual survival and in the longer term, that of their genes.

Animals need to find and consume food containing energy and nutrients, whilst at the same time avoiding being consumed themselves. They require locomotory systems enabling them to find food, and escape from consumers and unfavourable surroundings. They need to exchange respiratory gases with their environment and carry out metabolic processes. Because most animals differ in chemical composition compared to their environment, they need to regulate their internal composition, this includes removing metabolic waste products, monitoring how the internal and external environments are changing, and if appropriate, acted on. Most importantly, the development and timing of these different functional systems need coordinating in order for the individual to act as a unitary whole in its behaviour and physiology.

Finally, animals must adopt reproductive and life-cycle strategies that will maximise their genetic contribution to future generations. Why and how animals need to and go about solving these problems forms the basis of this unit.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students will: 

1. be able to describe the relationships between functional anatomy, physiology and behaviour of animals that allow them to survive and reproduce;
2. have mastered basic laboratory techniques in order to be able to identify morphological features in a range of living and preserved animals and be able to relate these features to their function;
3. have developed skills in library and field research, data and information gathering, collation and organisation suitable for the preparation of a scientific report;
4. have developed problem-solving skills in both individual and team settings.

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Specific Unit Information

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