BIO310H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Evolutionary Physiology
Document Summary
Species are compared in order to perceive physiological and evolutionary patterns. Comparative physiologists use analytic and statistical techniques to make carefully structured multi species comparisons ex. Comparing a salmon to a rainbow trout and a brook trout to understand the adaptations of teleost fishes to salt water. Examines animals in the context of the environments they inhabit focuses on evolutionary adaptations (ex. Thick fur of arctic animals, high blood volume of diving seals) to understand how they allow animals to function in environments that can range from benign to hostile. Uses the techniques of evolutionary biology and systematics (ex. Construction of taxonomic family trees) to understand the evolution of animals from a physiological viewpoint, focusing on physiological markers (ex. Maintenance of constant body temperature) rather than anatomic markers (ex. The manner in which the functional characteristics of individuals in a population of organisms have responded to selection across multiple generations during the history of the population.
