Product Details

Hardcover: 770
Publisher: Sinauer Associates, Inc.
Publication Date: 2008-04-16
Edition: 2nd
ISBN: 0878933174

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Animal Physiology presents all the branches of modern animal physiology with a strong emphasis on integration among physiological disciplines, ecology, and evolutionary biology. The book takes an entirely fresh approach to each topic. Its full-color illustrations include many novel, visually effective features to help students learn. Each of the 28 chapters starts with a brief animal example to engage student interest and demonstrate the value of the material that will be learned. The book includes five entire chapters that apply students' newfound physiological knowledge to curiosity-provoking and important topics, including diving by marine mammals, the mechanisms of navigation, and use/disuse effects in muscle. The book is committed to a comparative approach throughout. While mammalian physiology is consistently treated in depth, emphasis is also given to the other vertebrate groups, arthropods, molluscs, and-as appropriate-additional invertebrates. Concepts and integrative themes are emphasized while giving students the specifics they need. The whole animal is the principal focus of this book. The pages are filled with information on everything from knockout mice and enzyme chemistry to traditional organ physiology, phylogenetic analysis, and applications to human affairs. Always, the central organizing principle for the array of topics presented is to understand whole animals in the environments where they live. Concepts from chemistry, physics, and mathematics are explained so the book will be accessible to science students at the sophomore or higher level. Neurophysiological and other complex principles are developed clearly and carefully, to help students understand important concepts in sufficient depth without being overwhelmed. Pedagogical aids include embedded summaries throughout chapters, study questions, partially annotated reference lists, an extensive glossary, and appendices. For all three authors, teaching physiology to undergraduate students has been a lifelong priority. The opening three chapters provide background material on physiological basics, cell-molecular concepts, transport of solutes and water, ecology, and evolutionary biology. The remaining chapters are organized into five sections:

Food, Energy, and Temperature
Integrating Systems
Muscle and Movement
Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, and Internal Transport
* Water, Salts, and Excretion