Shorebirds (Dunlin and Western Sandpipers) on the wing, Fraser River Estuary, Vancouver, BC. [photo P. Shepherd].Bio 4611g
The Physiology of Animal Migration
Location : Biological & Geological Sciences (BGS) -1056
Time: TU TH 09:00-10:30 AM
Instructor: Dr. Silke Nebel ( http://www.uwo.ca/biology/Faculty/nebel/index.htm )
Email: snebel2@uwo.ca
Phone: 1-519-661-2111 x84669
Office: Advanced Facility for Avian Research (AFAR), room 205
Office hours: by appointment
Go to WebCT for Course Web Site
Migration is an amazing natural phenomenon and an important component of the life history of many species. This lecture course will examine the physiological basis of migratory movements across invertebrate and vertebrate animals. Topics covered will include (1) the evolution of migratory life histories, (2) biological rhythms and migration timing, (3) the sensory basis of navigation and orientation, (4) biomechanical and energetic constraints on movement, (5) metabolic fuel storage and utilization, (6) stable isotope metabolism and non-invasive tracking, and (7) physiological approaches to the study of migration ecology.
