Ecophysiology of Aquatic Organisms

The objective of this course unit is to understand the mechanisms organisms use to cope with the constraints of the aquatic environment. Using animal models (mollusks, crustaceans, fish) and plants (macro- and microalgae, aquatic angiosperms), this course unit will address the various aspects of the adaptive biology of organisms, ranging from their ability to acclimate and adapt to changes to their physiological limits and the optimization of phenotypic traits in response to environmental constraints. This course unit aims to examine: 

- key concepts and approaches in ecophysiology;

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

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

From a practical standpoint, this course unit will allow students to study how organisms function through simple physiological measurements and to learn how to set up experiments. Presentations of scientific articles selected by the instructors will supplement the knowledge acquired in class. 

- EU L2 in Comparative Animal Physiology & Plant Physiology in L2

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

- Subject-specific skills:

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

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

- Understand the mechanisms and processes that give rise to biodiversity;

Interpersonal Skills :

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

- Be able to apply concepts to analyze a document, an observation, or the results of an experiment;

- Be able to give an oral presentation (in English, if necessary), using visual aids and a format tailored to the target audience, with the help of appropriate computer tools;

- The ability to successfully carry out a project as part of a team.