Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective

Patrick Butler, Anne Brown, George Stephenson, and John Speakman

The only text to take an evolutionary approach to show how physiological systems allow animals to adapt to their changing environments
The main narrative focuses on key concepts, and panels expand on particular topics or themes, helping students to grasp difficult concepts in a progressive, layered way
An accessible introduction to the physical and chemical properties of the environments in which animals live helps students to avoid a superficial or confused understanding of this often challenging aspect of the subject
Carefully chosen examples illustrate how different groups of animals have evolved different solutions to deal with environmental challenges
The exploration of real world issues such as climate change and pollution from the point of view of their physiological effects on animals shows how our understanding of such topics can be translated into new approaches to conservation
Also available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support

Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective

Patrick Butler, Anne Brown, George Stephenson, and John Speakman

Description

Wild animals survive in a variety of complex environments; they are exposed to predictable and unpredictable changes in their particular environment on a daily or seasonal basis. However, we live in a time when almost all natural environments are undergoing relatively rapid change, and many of these changes, such as the pollution of air and water, removal of natural food sources, environment fragmentation, and climate change, are the result of human activity. Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective shows how an understanding of the physiology of animals in their natural habitats helps us to understand not only how and why animals evolved the way they did, but how we can act to protect at least some of them from the extreme effects of the changes affecting their environments.

Part One sets the foundation for the topics covered in the remainder of the book by introducing a range of fundamental processes that are essential to life. It considers the diversity of habitats on Earth in which animals live, and examines animal groups and their evolutionary relationships. It then explores the different feeding strategies used by animals to obtain the energy they require to carry out all the essential functions of life, and how animals convert the chemical energy in food molecules into the energy they need to power all body functions. Finally, it explores the general properties of animal cells, and how animals maintain a suitable internal environment in which their cells are protected from external influences. We then examine those fundamental principles governing the main exchanges between the cells within animals, and between an animal and its environment.

Parts two to four of the book explore how different organ systems - respiratory and circulatory systems, excretory organs and endocrine systems - enable animals to interact with their environment, and how environmental temperature profoundly affects the physiology of animals.

Part five considers how the sensory and nervous systems provide animals with information on their internal as well as their external environment, and how they, together with the endocrine system, are involved in the control and co-ordination of muscles, reproduction, salt and water balance, and the cardio-respiratory systems.

Digital formats and resources

Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective is supported by online resources and is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats.

The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks

The book's online resources include:

For students:
- Original articles: a list of original articles consulted during the writing of each chapter so that you can explore the original research for yourself.
- Additional case studies and experimental approach panels to augment those in the printed book.
- Answers to numerical questions: full solutions to numerical questions so that you can verify your working.

For registered adopters of the text:
- Digital image library: Includes electronic files in JPG format of every illustration, photo, graph and table from the text

Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective

Patrick Butler, Anne Brown, George Stephenson, and John Speakman

PART ONE - ANIMALS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
1:The diversity of animals and their interactions with natural environments
2:Energy metabolism - generating energy from food
3:Cells, organisms and interactions with their environment
PART TWO - WATER AND SALTS
4:Body fluid regulation: principles and processes
5:Osmotic and ionic regulation in aquatic animals
6:Water balance of land animals
7:Kidneys and excretion
PART THREE - TEMPERATURE
8:Temperature and the principles of heat exchange
9:Temperature regulation in ectotherms
10:Temperature regulation in endotherms
PART FOUR- OXYGEN
11:The respiratory gases, gas exchange and transport: key characteristics and principles
12:Respiratory systems: an overview
13:Transport in respiratory systems, and acid-base balance
14:Cardiovascular systems: an overview
15:Environmental and behavioural influences on the cardio-respiratory system
PART FIVE - COORDINATION AND INTEGRATION
16:Neurons, nerves and nervous systems: an overview
17:How animals sense their environments
18:Muscles and animal movement
19:Hormones
20:Reproduction
21:Control of sodium, water, and calcium balance
22:Integration of the respiratory and circulatory systems: rhythm generation and control

Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective

Patrick Butler, Anne Brown, George Stephenson, and John Speakman

Author Information

Patrick Butler, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Anne Brown, School of Biological Sciences, University of Exeter, George Stephenson, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, and John Speakman, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen

Patrick J. Butler is Emeritus Professor of Comparative Physiology in the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

J. Anne Brown is Emeritus Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Exeter

D. George Stephenson is Emeritus Professor in the School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

John R. Speakman is Professor of Zoology in the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Aberdeen.

Animal Physiology: an environmental perspective

Patrick Butler, Anne Brown, George Stephenson, and John Speakman

Reviews and Awards

"For a course more focused on animal physiology, this would certainly work as an appropriate, comprehensive textbook, especially as it includes all of the basics that students would, in theory, know before taking a physiology course, but have surely forgotten ... Overall, the volume is a considerable achievement — and one that I am happy to have, especially in an electronic format." - Theodore Garland Jr., Quarterly Review of Biology

"Very clearly explained. Easy and enjoyable to read." - Dr Sheena Cotter, University of Lincoln

"The descriptions and explanations are excellent...the best I have read in a long time." - Professor William Velhagen, New York University

"The emphasis on the environmental factors influencing physiological processes and the link from this to adaption to change is particularly helpful." - Dr Debbie Bartlett, University of Greenwich