Intended for students in the biological and agricultural sciences, Animal Physiology has been written to promote
the true conceptual understanding necessary to keep pace with today's rapid advances in the biological sciences.
ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY takes an "integrative systems" approach, designed to illustrate the individual organization
as well as the collective interdependence of each complete physiological system. The text begins with chapters
on integrative principles and on the genomic, molecular, and cellular basis of physiology, then proceeds to chapters
on individual organ systems. For each organ system, evolutionary forces as well as current cellular and molecular
research are discussed. To clearly illustrate system interdependence--how integrated organ systems yield a whole,
functioning animal--each systems chapter contains a summary, titled "Chapter in Perspective: Homeostasis and
Integration." In addition, special integrative chapters--"Fluid and Acid-Base Balance" and "Energy
Balance and Thermal Physiology"--focus on crucial whole-body phenomena that are dependent on more than one
organ system.
To make the text even more accessible to students, the authors also incorporate a comparative approach to animal
physiology--examining the basic physiology of many vertebrate and invertebrate animals as well as their primary
diseases and ability to respond to environmental changes. These comparisons between types of animals are included
to explain important universal functions and principles, thus emphasizing the unity of life. Unique or striking
adaptations are featured to reveal the diversity that can result from evolutionary adaptation. Finally,the authors
incorporate detailed coverage of those animal species, particularly vertebrates, which will be of relevance to
students preparing for animal-related careers.