Ecophysiology of Aquatic Organisms

The objective of this EU is to understand the mechanisms used by organisms to cope with the constraints of the aquatic environment. Using animal models (mollusks, crustaceans, fish) and plants (macro- and microalgae, aquatic angiosperms), this course will address the various dimensions of the adaptive biology of organisms, ranging from their ability to acclimatize and adapt to change, to their physiological limits and the optimization of phenotypic traits in response to environmental constraints. This course 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, cave-dwelling, 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 how organisms function using simple physiological measurements and 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 large groups (metazoans)

- Subject-specific skills:

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

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

- Understand the mechanisms and processes that drive biodiversity;

Interpersonal skills :

- 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 results of an experiment;

- Know how to give an oral presentation (in English if necessary), using illustrations and a presentation tailored to the audience, with the help of appropriate IT tools;

- Know how to successfully complete a project within a group.