What is Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology?

We are comparative and evolutionary physiologists, which, broadly speaking, means we study the basic mechanisms that allow animals to move, breathe, eat, circulate material within the body, reproduce, and regulate the composition of their fluids. We carry-out these studies at many levels of biological organization, from the whole animal to the expression of individual genes. We study the variation of physiological functions between different groups of animals, how that variation arose, and how it is maintained.

An animal’s physiology determines its performance limits. Many of us study species that perform extreme physiological feats that are impossible for humans to achieve. For example, bar-headed geese can fly over Mt. Everest, adult kangaroo rats can survive without drinking, elephant seals can dive a kilometer underwater for many minutes, and wood frogs can survive half of their body water freezing. By understanding these abilities, we better understand the limits of physiological systems and why they fail under various conditions, including in human and animal disease states.

An animal’s physiology directly affects how it interacts with its environment. Understanding an animal’s physiology allows us to predict how it might respond to environmental change, such as drought, famine, or extremes in temperature in much the same way that understanding the basics of how the human body works helps physicians to identify and treat diseases. This is especially important as we try to predict and mitigate the effects of man-made and natural environmental disturbances on animal function and survival.

Our research focuses on the function and evolution of the vertebrate nervous and cardiovascular systems, especially in reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. The nervous and cardiovascular systems are especially vulnerable to environmental change because the tissues and cells that comprise them have the highest rates of energy consumption in most animals. The organ systems are therefore exquisitely sensitive to anything that diminishes the ability of cells to make energy. We are especially interested in how pond turtles, specifically painted turtles (see photo above), can survive without oxygen longer than any other tetrapod, more than 170 days at 3°C. To learn more about our ongoing research projects, click on “Our Research” in the menu bar!