Ecophysiology of Aquatic Organisms

The objective of this course is to understand the mechanisms used by organisms to cope with the constraints of the aquatic environment. Using animal (mollusks, crustaceans, fish) and plant (macro- and microalgae, aquatic angiosperms) models, this course will address the different dimensions of the adaptive biology of organisms, ranging from acclimatization and adaptation to change, to physiological limits and optimization of phenotypic traits in response to environmental constraints. This EU aims to study: 

- major concepts and approaches in ecophysiology ;

- ecophysiological responses (from gene expression to organism performance and behavior) using various aquatic ecosystems (intertidal, estuarine, polar, cavernicolous and abyssal) as examples;

- the integration of structure-function relationships in a given environmental context.

On a practical level, this course will allow students to study the functioning of organisms through simple physiological measurements and to learn how to set up experiments. Presentations of scientific articles chosen by the teachers will complete the knowledge acquired in class. 

- UE L2 in Comparative Animal Physiology & Plant Physiology

- Basic knowledge of the diversity of large groups (metazoans)

- Disciplinary Skills:

- To know the adaptive strategies of organisms, in relation to their resources, their interactions and the characteristics of their living environment;

- Know the different levels of organization from the gene to the organism and their interactions;

- To know the mechanisms and processes at the origin of biodiversity;

Know how to be :

- Understand a written scientific source (in English), be able to understand a simple scientific article;

- Know how to mobilize concepts to analyze a document, an observation or the result of an experiment;

- Know how to make an oral presentation (in English if necessary), using illustrations and a presentation adapted to the audience concerned, with the help of adapted computer tools;

- Know how to carry out a project within a group.