BBIO206
Animal and Plant Physiology 2: Nutrition, Excretion and Homeostasis

ECTS Value: 5 ECTS

Contact Hours: 25

Self Study Hours: 75

Assessment Hours: 25

 

Overall Objectives and Outcomes

This module is the second of three modules tackling animal (mostly human) and plant (exclusively angiosperm) anatomy and the relationship with physiology, mode of life and habitat. This module will focus on understanding life mechanisms pertaining to digestion, autotrophic nutrition and excretion in plants, the human excretory system and homeostasis in humans.

Apart from covering a fundamental, comprehensive and in-depth body of knowledge about the above-mentioned topics, this module will seek to make links with everyday-life biology as well as the context of the Maltese Islands wherever applicable.

The depth of knowledge, concepts, competencies and processes covered and assessed by this module, will be more than adequate so as to ensure that participants are not only ready to plan lessons covering content and processes about these topics with their prospective students at secondary and post-secondary level, but also to be able to answer impromptu higher-order questions about biological phenomena as they may arise in class.

Sub-topics to be tackled will include:

  1. Nutritional requirements and health – Including reference to conditions of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia and obesity) and diabetes type II to an unbalanced diet.
  2. An introduction to evolutionary adaptations of digestion.
  3. Major features and functions of the human digestive system.
  4. Comparing digestive systems of herbivorous and carnivorous mammals.
  5. Autotrophic nutrition in plants and the need for inorganic nutrients.
  6. Maintaining Homeostasis and feedback mechanisms
  7. An introduction to evolutionary adaptations of excretory systems.
  8. Osmoregulation and the major features and functions of the human excretory system.
  9. Thermoregulation and regulation of metabolism in humans.
  10. Excretory functions of plants.

By the end of this module, the learner will be able to:

Competences

  • a)Illustrate the anatomy of human and other mammalian digestive system, photosynthetic tissues in plants, the human excretory system, and organs involved in homeostasis;
  • b)Assess the physiological adaptations of plants and animals in response to environmental stressors;
  • c)Confidently convey knowledge, concepts and scientific processes about human and other mammalian digestive and excretory systems, photosynthetic tissues in plants, and organs involved in homeostasis  to students at secondary or post-secondary educational level;
  • d)Use experimental data to predict and evaluate physiological responses of organisms maintaining homeostasis under diverse conditions;
  • e)Engage in animal and plant physiology literature;
  • f)Produce detailed resources and assessments that facilitate student learning of physiological systems in plants and animals.
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Knowledge

  • a)Describe photosynthetic tissues in plants, the human excretory system, and the organs involved in homeostasis;
  • b)Summarise the physiological mechanisms of thermoregulation and osmoregulation in animals and plants;
  • c)Explain the process of nutrient absorption and waste excretion in humans and plants, and their role in homeostasis;
  • d)Compare the human and other mammalian digestive systems, photosynthetic tissues in plants, the human excretory system, and organs involved in maintaining homeostasis;
  • e)Differentiate between assessment types suitable for evaluating knowledge of digestion, excretion, and homeostasis.
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Skills

    • a)Present information from textbooks, journals, videos and online sources, building on prior learning;
    • b)Perform laboratory experiments to measure metabolic processes in plants and animals, analysing factors such as energy use, nutrient absorption, and waste excretion;
    • c)Comment on research observations, interpret data sets, and make inferences about homeostasis and physiological regulation;
    • d)Draw annotated anatomical diagrams of the digestive and excretory systems;
    • e)Collaborate effectively within a group, wherever the number allows for effective group work;
    • f)Design instructional resources and assessments supporting student learning of comparative physiology and system functions.
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Assessment Methods

This module will be assessed through: Assignment, Presentation, Learning Task and Laboratory Practice Report

Suggested Readings

Core Reading List

  1. Fox S.I., (2016), Human Physiology, 14th Edition, McGraw-Hill.
  2. Raven P.H, Evert R.F. & Eichhorn S.E., (2012), Biology of Plants, 8th Edition, W. H. Freeman

Supplementary Reading List

  1. Campbell N.A., Reece J.B., (2008) Biology, 8th Edition, Pearson.
  2. Audesirk T., Audesirk G., & Byers B.E., (2017), Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology 11th Edition, Pearson.
  3. Randall D., Burggren, W. & French, K., (2001), Eckert Animal Physiology – Mechanisms and Adaptations, 5th edition, W.H. Freeman.
  4. Taiz L. & Zeiger E., (2010), Plant Physiology, 5th Edition, Sinauer Associates.

 

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