Adaptation of Animals and Plants to Environment
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course concerns the analysis of the relationships between plants and animals physiology and main environmental variables. Learning objectives are, therefore, the assessment of the environmental variables that affect organism life and understanding of the physiological adaptations to the environment.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge of adaptation and acclimatization strategies in response to environmental stimuli and stresses both in plants and animals.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Animals
Physiological mechanisms involved in response to environment changes: homeostatic responses and adaptations. Involved organs: skin, intestine, lung, gill, kidney, salt glands.
Osmotic and ionic homeostasis
Regulation in aquatic habitats showing different salinity: invertebrates of seawater, brackish water, freshwater and hypersaline water; aquatic vertebrates; catadromous and anadromous fishes.
Regulation in terrestrial habitats: dehydration risk and hydric balance in terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates (Henle's loop, malpighian tubules).
Nitrogen excretion (ammonotelic, ureotelic and uricotelic organisms).
Respiration
Respiration in aquatic habitats: oxygen availability; gills and aquatic ventilation; facoltative and obligate air breathing fishes; aquatic respiration control.
Respiration in terrestrial habitats: oxygen availability; lungs and aerial ventilation in vertebrates; tracheae and respiration in insects; aerial respiration control. Special adaptations: Ipossia induced variations and adaptations to altitude. Diving related cardiovascular and respiratory adaptations.
Thermoregulation
Body temperature: endotherms, ectotherms and heterotherms.
Endotherms: heat production and loss; physiological responses to environment temperature changes and to extreme temperatures (adaptive hypothermia in birds and mammals).
Ectotherms: preferred temperature and behavioural thermoregulation; physiological responses to extreme temperatures (cryoprotectants). Thermoregulation in Social Insects.
Plants
Plant responses to an environment with variable concentrations of mineral elements: nitrogen assimilation; "Nitrate sensing and signaling".
Programmed Cell Death (PCD): PCD as a response to biotic and abiotic stress.
Interaction between plants and other organisms: symbiosis and biotic stress.Symbiosis legumes / Rhizobium; mycorrhizae. Interaction with pathogenic organisms: molecular basis of plant / pathogen interactions; plant defense systems: ITP and ETI, hypersensitive response and systemic responses.
Responses to abiotic stress: plant responses to salt stress, water stress, stress induced
by temperature variations (stress from low and high temperatures), hypo / anoxia.
Physiological mechanisms involved in response to environment changes: homeostatic responses and adaptations. Involved organs: skin, intestine, lung, gill, kidney, salt glands.
Osmotic and ionic homeostasis
Regulation in aquatic habitats showing different salinity: invertebrates of seawater, brackish water, freshwater and hypersaline water; aquatic vertebrates; catadromous and anadromous fishes.
Regulation in terrestrial habitats: dehydration risk and hydric balance in terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates (Henle's loop, malpighian tubules).
Nitrogen excretion (ammonotelic, ureotelic and uricotelic organisms).
Respiration
Respiration in aquatic habitats: oxygen availability; gills and aquatic ventilation; facoltative and obligate air breathing fishes; aquatic respiration control.
Respiration in terrestrial habitats: oxygen availability; lungs and aerial ventilation in vertebrates; tracheae and respiration in insects; aerial respiration control. Special adaptations: Ipossia induced variations and adaptations to altitude. Diving related cardiovascular and respiratory adaptations.
Thermoregulation
Body temperature: endotherms, ectotherms and heterotherms.
Endotherms: heat production and loss; physiological responses to environment temperature changes and to extreme temperatures (adaptive hypothermia in birds and mammals).
Ectotherms: preferred temperature and behavioural thermoregulation; physiological responses to extreme temperatures (cryoprotectants). Thermoregulation in Social Insects.
Plants
Plant responses to an environment with variable concentrations of mineral elements: nitrogen assimilation; "Nitrate sensing and signaling".
Programmed Cell Death (PCD): PCD as a response to biotic and abiotic stress.
Interaction between plants and other organisms: symbiosis and biotic stress.Symbiosis legumes / Rhizobium; mycorrhizae. Interaction with pathogenic organisms: molecular basis of plant / pathogen interactions; plant defense systems: ITP and ETI, hypersensitive response and systemic responses.
Responses to abiotic stress: plant responses to salt stress, water stress, stress induced
by temperature variations (stress from low and high temperatures), hypo / anoxia.
Prerequisites for admission
Knowledge of basic concepts of both cellular biology and plant physiology.
Teaching methods
Lessons: attendance is strongly recommended
Teaching Resources
- Reference texts:
1)Sherwood L., Klandorf H., Yancey P. "Fisiologia degli animali". Zanichelli
2)L. Taiz, E. Zeiger, I. M. Møller, A Murphy "Plant Physiology and Development". Seventh edition, Sinauer (2023)
3) N. Rascio "Elementi di Fisiologia Vegetale". Terza edizione, EdiSES (2021)
-Scientific papers and reviews discussed during lessons and loaded on Ariel
1)Sherwood L., Klandorf H., Yancey P. "Fisiologia degli animali". Zanichelli
2)L. Taiz, E. Zeiger, I. M. Møller, A Murphy "Plant Physiology and Development". Seventh edition, Sinauer (2023)
3) N. Rascio "Elementi di Fisiologia Vegetale". Terza edizione, EdiSES (2021)
-Scientific papers and reviews discussed during lessons and loaded on Ariel
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral discussion on the topics covered in the course and assesses the student's understanding of the fundamental concepts regarding the relationships between the physiology of plants and animals and environmental variables, in line with the educational objective of understanding the physiological adaptations of organisms to their environment.
Evaluation criteria: assimilation of the subject's content and fundamental concepts; ability to communicate acquired knowledge with specific terminology and language proficiency; critical and transversal thinking, and the ability to connect the various topics covered.
The exam lasts approximately 45 minutes, equally divided between assessing knowledge of animal organisms and plant organisms. The grade is recorded on a scale of thirty.
Evaluation criteria: assimilation of the subject's content and fundamental concepts; ability to communicate acquired knowledge with specific terminology and language proficiency; critical and transversal thinking, and the ability to connect the various topics covered.
The exam lasts approximately 45 minutes, equally divided between assessing knowledge of animal organisms and plant organisms. The grade is recorded on a scale of thirty.
BIO/04 - PLANT PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 3
BIO/09 - PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 3
BIO/09 - PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 48 hours
Professors:
Bonza Maria Cristina, Porta Cristina
Shifts:
Professor(s)
Reception:
by appointment via mail
3° floor Tower C Department of Biosciences or on microsoft teams