Sensory Biology
Course content
Animal senses can be divided into photoreception (vision and
general light sensing), chemoreception (smell and taste),
mechanoreception (hearing, touch, gravity sensing etc.),
electroreception (sensing electric fields) and magnetoreception
(sensing the earth magnetic field). The course takes an integrative
approach to these senses and illustrates how the functionality of
senses is shaped at a number of levels form the dynamics of
receptor proteins to the behaviour of the animal. There will be a
focus on how the senses sort the in practice infinite amount of
information present in the environment and only pick up and process
what is of interest to the animal. All the senses are explained and
taught comparatively across the animal kingdom and at a number of
different levels:
1. Molecular biology of the receptors proteins.
2. Physiology of sensory cells.
3. Anatomy and function of sensory organs.
4. Neural processing and integration of sensory information.
5. Integrated sensory basis for behavioural schemes and interaction with the environment (sensory ecology).
The course emphasizes an experimental approach to animal senses and
includes laboratory exercises where you in groups will conduct
experiments with different senses from a number of different
animals incl. yourself. This will give you hands on experience with
some of the central methods in experimental sensory and neuro
biology and allow you to draw conclusions of functionality based on
your own data. You will also practice presenting these scientific
results in short written reports.
MSc Programme in Biology
Knowledge:
You obtain a broad and comprehensive knowledge of animal senses
and how they differ according to the evolutionary history and
ecology of the animal. This includes knowledge on how different
senses apply different constrains to the morphology of the sensory
organs, the molecular biology and physiology of the receptor cells,
how the acquired information is coded, and how the information is
used to control specific animal behaviors. Through your own work
you will also gain knowledge on experimental design within
neurobiology including knowledge on how to best present complex
data.
Skills:
After having participated in the course you can:
- interpret the connection between animal behavior/communication and the underlying senses
- determine the overall function of a sensory organ based on its structure
- evaluate the sensory quality across different senses and animal groups in the light of evolution and ecology
- design and set up experiments (including electrophysiology) on
the quality and functionality of the sensory input from a range of
senses.
Competences:
The course gives you competences for professional work in neurobiology, ecology, medical science and zoology not least animal caretaking. You obtain a broad but also detailed knowledge of the diversity of sensory organs in the animal kingdom from jellyfish to humans which allows you to critically analyze and evaluate how animals through their senses are adapted to the environment they live in. The course illustrates the important connections between receptor molecules, sensory cells, sensory organs, and animal behavior. By addressing all these different levels in an integrative way it provides you with competences to deconstruct and understand complex biological problems by examining specific details separately. The course also provides an ideal background for continued detailed studies of animal ecology, sensory physiology, animal behavior, and neurobiology in general.
The course strongly emphasizes teacher-student and
student-student discussions and contains the following elements:
Lectures, guest research lectures, tutorials, colloquia and
laboratory exercises.
See Absalon.
Open for students with a bachelor degree in biology and others
with a comparable background in neurobiology and zoology.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is
recommended.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Oral examination, 20 minutes, no preparation time
- Type of assessment details
- Oral exam based on the lectures as well as the material handed out to the lectures.
- Exam registration requirements
-
4 approved reports.
- Aid
- Without aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
- Re-exam
-
The same as the ordinary exam.
If the requirement is not fulfilled, all 4 reports must be approved no later than three weeks before the reexamination.
Criteria for exam assessment
In order to obtain the grade 12 the student should convincingly and accurately demonstrate the knowledge, skills and competences described under Learning Outcome.
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 26
- Class Instruction
- 14
- Preparation
- 101,67
- Practical exercises
- 50
- Seminar
- 14
- Exam
- 0,33
- English
- 206,00
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NBIK15019U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 3
- Schedulegroup
-
C
- Capacity
- 30
The number of places might be reduced if you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student. - Studyboard
- Study Board for the Biological Area
Contracting department
- Department of Biology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
- Anders Lydik Garm (6-646f6a64757043656c72316e7831676e)
Teacher
Anders Lydik Garm, Frank Hauser, Katrine Worsaae, Kenneth Veland Halberg, Ditte Skovaa Andersen
Timetable
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Courseinformation of students