Integrative Ecophysiology: An In-Depth Look

Ecophysiology is a discipline at the intersection of organismal biology and ecology. Integrative ecophysiology focuses more specifically on the issue of scaling. In other words, the objective of this course unit is to illustrate how the study of acclimation and adaptation mechanisms at the individual (or even sub-individual) level can explain population structure, species distribution, and ecosystem functioning. The responses of organisms and populations to key structuring abiotic parameters (such as temperature, salinity, oxygen availability, and pollutants) will be examined, along with their interactive effects. The role of interactions among organisms will also be addressed. In this course unit, animals, plants, and microorganisms will be examined, and various types of approaches will be illustrated: field observations, in situ experiments, and laboratory experiments.

Understanding the mechanisms of ecophysiological adaptation at the individual level

Be able to address the complexity of interactions between organisms and their environment, focusing on the responses of different types of organisms (animals, plants, microorganisms) and on the consequences at the ecosystem level.