Ecophysiology of Aquatic Organisms

The aim of this course is to understand the mechanisms used by organisms to cope with the constraints of the aquatic environment. Using animal models (mollusks, crustaceans, fish) and plant models (macro- and microalgae, aquatic angiosperms), this course will cover the various dimensions of the adaptive biology of organisms, from their capacity to acclimatize and adapt to change, to their physiological limits and the optimization of phenotypic traits in response to environmental constraints. This UE 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 enable students to study the functioning of organisms by means of simple physiological measurements, and to learn how to set up experiments. Presentations of scientific articles chosen by the teaching staff will complement the knowledge acquired in class. 

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

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

- Disciplinary skills :

- 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;

- Understand the mechanisms and processes behind biodiversity;

How to be :

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

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

- Give an oral presentation (in English if necessary), using illustrations and a presentation adapted to the audience concerned, with the help of appropriate IT tools;

- Successful project management within a group.