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PJ Hansen Animal Sciences AMCB IFAS College of Vet Med University of Florida

ANS 6706 - Environmental Physiology of Domestic Animals

• Instructor
  P.J. Hansen, Dept. of Animal Sciences
  Room 122 Bldg 499 (Dairy Science Building)
  Phone: 2-5590 Fax: 2-5595
  E-mail: Hansen@animal.ufl.edu
  http://www.animal.ufl.edu/hansen

• Frequency of Offering
  Alternate years (even years), spring semester. 

• Meeting Place
  Unless announced in class, all lectures on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be in 156 Animal Science Bldg (Bldg. 459).  Discussion sessions will be held in Room 101A Bldg 459 (the conference room in the Animal Sciences Library). There will also be some experimental use of online delivery of lectures.

• Course Objectives
  
  1) To acquire principles of thermal biology with special focus on homeotherms living in hot climates.

  2) To develop the ability to relate principles of thermal biology to problems of animal management caused by adverse environments.

  3) To learn to understand and evaluate the research literature, and gain ability to design and interpret thermal biology experiments. 

  4) Become familiar with biological systems by which animals measure and respond to photoperiod.

• Course Format
  Unless announced in class, all lectures on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be in 156 Animal Science Bldg (Bldg. 459).  Discussion sessions will be held in Room 101A Bldg 459 (the conference room in the Animal Sciences Library). There will also be some experimental use of online delivery of lectures.

• Lecture Topics

General Responses of Animals to Environment
Physical Properties of Heat and Temperature
Heat Production and Heat Balance
Heat Loss - Radiation/Conduction/Convection/Radiation
Insulation
Body Size and Metabolic Rate
Thermoneutral Zone
Thermoregulation

Biological Limits of Body Temperature
Cellular Responses to Heat Shock

Circadian Rhythms

Photoperiod

• Paper Discussions

Students will be assigned individual papers to present. On the day of discussion, the student will present the paper (summarizing the hypothesis, experimental design, key results and conclusions). When making the summary, the presenter should realize that everyone has read the paper and therefore, a short summary only is required. After the paper is summarized, the presenting student will lead the discussion regarding the appropriateness of experimental approaches as well as the biological significance of the work and possible future studies. Other students will be expected to come to class having read the paper and having also prepared several points for discussion. Student performance in discussion will be graded. This grade will be based on performance as a presenter as well as a discussant. This is a subjective grade given by the instructor and is based on the level of commitment and interest the student shows in discussion.

A rough guide of the scale for the final grade of the paper discussion portion of the course is as follows:
--student misses discussion periods without excused absence - 0-60%
--student comes but only rarely discuss papers - 70-80%
--student discusses papers & presents evidence that papers have been analyzed - 80-90%
--student is an active leader of group - 90-100%

Papers for the discussion period will be emailed to students and also available on the Animal Sciences Network on the t: drive in the Hansen/ANS6706 folder.  Most papers are also available online through the University of Florida Health Center Library. A schedule of paper presentations is also provided.

• Research Project
  In the last half of the semester, the class will work on designing a research project to elucidate some aspect of environmental physiology. This will involve design of experiments, presentations to the class and a formal, written proposal.  Students will work in groups of ~3 to develop the experiments.   See Research Project for more details.

• Supplemental Readings
  There is no required textbook. Various readings will be handed out during the semester or made available through the internet at Supplemental Readings. These are not required and the exam material will be drawn exclusively from the lectures. Note that the Supplemental Readings page will be updated occasionally so check back periodically to look for new resources.

• Schedule

  Lectures 
  In general, specific topics have not been assigned to individual days because in the past I never followed the schedule anyway. However, a few dates are pertinent:

  January 8 -  no class (PJH in Colorado)

  February 12 -21 - guest lectures or online lecture material (PJH in India)

  March 6 - Midterm

  March 11, 13 – No class (Spring break)

  Final exam - optional; given individually

  Discussions - see Paper Discussions for more details

  Unless announced in class, all lectures on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be in 156 Animal Science Bldg (Bldg. 459).  Discussion sessions will be held in Room 101A Bldg 459 (the conference room in the Animal Sciences Library). There will also be some experimental use of online delivery of lectures.

• Grading

  The grading scale is A, 90-100%;B+, 86-89; B 80-85, etc. The final grade will be based on performance in all areas of the course as follows:

  Midterm exam - 25%
  Final exam - 25%
  Participation in Paper Discussions - 25%
  Research Project - 25%       

  If you are having trouble with the course, see me.

• Exams
  Exams will primarily be essay and short answer questions. There will a midterm exam on March 6.  The final exam (optional) will be given individually after April 24. The midterm exam will include short-answer questions as well as analysis and interpretation of data from research papers. 

• Communication About The Class
  Email will be used as the major method for communicating when not in class. Therefore, provide Dr. Hansen with your email address if one is available. Dr. Hansen's email is hansen@animal.ufl.edu

Any changes in the course or important updates will also be posted on a webpage listing What's New in ANS 6706  

• Policy on Dishonesty
  Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated by the instructors or by your peers at the University of Florida. Upon completion of your registration form at the University of Florida every student signed the following statement: "I understand that the University of Florida expects its students to be honest in all the academic work. I agree to this commitment to academic honesty and understand that my failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the University". Please adhere to this oath.

A complete copy of the Academic Honesty Guidelines can be found in the University of Florida Undergraduate Catalog and at the University Student Guide.

• Students with Disabilities
  Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when  requesting accommodation.

• Counseling Services
  Resources are available on-campus for students having personal problems or lacking clear career and academic goals which interfere with their academic performance. These resources include:

1) University Counseling Center, 301 Peabody Hall, 2-1575, personal and career
2) Student Mental Health, Student Health Care Center, 2-1171, personal
3) Sexual Assault Recovery Services, Student Health Care Center, 2-1161, assault
4) Career Resource Center, Reitz Union, 2-1601, career development assistance