Environmental phisiology

Studying the physiological responses of animals, mammals and humans in natural and non-natural environments, characterized by extreme and highly stressful conditions.

Frontal lessons (35 hours)

Laboratory (12 hours)

Introduction to Environmental Physiology: general characteristics - biological adaptation and acclimatization: potentiality and limitations - Regulation of gene expression.Temperature and energy - Metabolism and body mass - ectothermic endothermic and heterothermic animals - adaptation to low temperatures - Evolution of endothermy in birds and mammals - temperature regulation: neural, endocrine and behavioral mechanisms - The hypothalamic thermostat - The cold acclimatization - Lethargy, hibernation, aestivation - Seasonal temperature changes in polar Mammals - Tolerance limits animal hyperthermia and hypothermia - Maintaining thermal balance of terrestrial animals in a dry or wet hot environment.Radiant energy - Effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation on the Earth's surface and in space.Microgravity - Adaptations respiratory, cardiovascular, skeletal, neuromuscular and vestibular - Effects of short-and medium-term stay in space.High altitude - Compensation in the short and long-term - Respiratory, cardio-circulatory, endocrine and metabolic effects – Erythropoiesis changes - normal acclimatization and altitude sickness.Hyperbaric environment - Physiology of gas in diving - diving in apnea: alveolar gas, resurfacing risks, acclimatization - Scuba breathing: cardio-vascular functions under hyperbaric conditions – Renal, endocrine and hemodynamic effects in apnea and scuba breathing diving.Under-and supernutrition - Changes in functional, metabolic and behavioral induced by short-term and chronic malnutrition. Noise pollution.

R. Hill, G. Wyse, M. Anderson, Fisiologia animale, Zanichelli;

D. Schimdt-Nielsen, Fisiologia animale, Piccin;

G. Ferretti, C. Capelli, Dagli abissi allo spazio. Ambienti e limiti umani, Edi ermes.

1) Thermoregulation and adaptations to extreme environments

2) Difference between acclimatization and adaptation

3) Malnutrition: effects of under- and over-nutrition

4) Responses to the hyperbaric environment

5) High altitude: consequences of the decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen