WFB 110

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• WFB 110
• Biology and Conservation of Wild Mammals
• MWF 1000 1050
• Wellman 6
• Dr. James A. Wilson
• 1059 Academic Surge
• Office Hours MWF 11-12

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WFC 130 -Physiological Ecology

• Summer Session I
• With me!!
• Mon-Thurs 210-350pm
• Learn about cool terrestrial vertebrate
  physiology
• Hibernation, thermoregulation, osmoregulation,
  energetics, nutrition, toxicology

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What this Course is and is not

• This course is
• Comprehensive overview of non-domesticated
  mammals
• Study of origins/evolution, distribution,
  reproduction, physiology, behavior, and ecology
  of mammals

• This course is not
• A fluffy, easy natural history course
• An automatic A
• Preferred background
• EST 100 or EVE 101

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New Textbook

• Using a different textbook.
• Feldhamer focuses more on adaptations and
  processes.
• Vaughn is more systematics

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Teaching Format

• Powerpoint will be used to replace the
  chalkboard.
• Sometimes professors go too fast, feel free to
  slow me down.
• Powerpoint presentations may be made available on
  the web, no copies will be handed out.
• Podcasts may be available as supplements.
• No matter what I provide, you MUST come to class.

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Grade Structure

• Grades will consist of 3 exams and 5 quizes
• Midterm 1 (100 pts)
• Midterm 2 (100 pts)
• Final Exam (150 pts)
• New material (100 pts)
• Review Questions (50 pts)
• There is a lab for this course that is optional,
  but highly recommended.
• Sara Krause
• Chi-Chen Kuo

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About Me

• This is not the first time I have taught, but is
  my first solo for a lecture class.
• B.S./M.S. - CSU Fullerton
• Masters Thesis Gray fox diet and seed dispersal.
• Ph.D. - Oklahoma State University
• Doctoral Dissertation Effects of petroleum on
  mammal immune function, population dynamics, and
  community structure.
• Postdoctoral Work UC Davis
• Maternal body condition and its effects on
  offspring dispersal in golden-mantled ground
  squirrels

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My Expectations of You

• For the comfort and respect of others, please
• Arrive on time
• Stay until the class is over
• Turn off cell phones, blackberries, etc.
• Do not eat or chew gum
• Do not snore
• Prepare for class.

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Introduction to the Mammals

• First mammals recorded in Triassic (200 mya)
• Evolved around the same time dinosaurs did
• Did not radiate until after dinosaurs went
  extinct following the Cretaceous-Tertiary
  extinction (65 mya)

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How Many Mammals are There?

• Currently there are about
• 26 extant orders
• 19 extinct orders
• 136 Families
• 1135 Genera
• 4629 Species
• Compared to
• 8600 bird species
• 6000 reptile species

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The blue whale (Balenoptera musculus) is the
largest mammal. The longest blue whale ever
recorded was a 108-foot long. Blue whales can
weigh over 100 tons.
The bumblebee bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai)
is the smallest mammal, measuring about 3.1 cm
(1.2 in) long and weighing about 2 g. Its
estimated population of 200 lives only along the
River Kwai in western Thailand.
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Evolutionary Scale

• Since mammals radiated there have been 45 orders
  in 65 my.
• 1 new order ever 1.44 my
• Birds
• 1 new order / 2 my
• Reptiles
• 1 new order / 9.5 my

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Endothermy (within temperature)
• Commonly referred to as warm-blooded
• This is incorrect! Reptiles may have blood warmer
  than a mammals
• Generate heat from combustion of food
• Break C-C bonds (sugar breakdown)
• ATP pump in mitochindria
• Insulative body
• Not the same as homeothermy
• Homeothermy maintain same temp.
• You can do this through behavior - reptiles

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Endothermy
• Benefits of Endothermy
• Activity in cold/night
• Exploit new environments/times
• Increased muscle activity/response time
• Increased molecular activity/processing time
• Disadvantages of Endothermic Homeothermy
• Energetically costly
• Need to eat to resupply energy

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Endothermy
• Reducing Cost of Endothermic Homeothermy
• Seasonal reduction in body temperature (Tb)
• Hibernation (bears)
• Torpor (Ground Squirrels, Doormice, others)
• Daily Temperature Cycles (some marsupials)

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Daily Temperature Cycle
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Mammalian Characteristics

• Hair
• All mammals have hair at some point in their life
• Evolved for insulation/reduce costs of
  endothermic homeothermy
• Evolved different uses
• Warning
• Cryptic
• Communication
• Sensory

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Skin Glands
• Mammary milk producing
• Sweat evaporative cooling
• Musk oil producing for scent
• Sebaceous oil producing for hair care

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By the way

• Products commonly claim to pull toxins out of
  your body through skin or sweat.
• This is almost complete garbage.
• Sweat is for evaporative cooling, NOT toxin
  removal.
• Sweat is
• 99 water and 1
• Salt lactic acid trace metals
• fat molecules uric acid
• vitamin C ammonia.
• The Kidneys and Liver is where your body
  detoxifies things and sends them out through your
  urine (Phase I and Phase II pathways).

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Sweat Studies

• Studies of sweat show that unless you are exposed
  to industrial contamination few contaminants are
  in your sweat. (1,2)
• Exercise does not increase contaminant
  concentrations in sweat, and may actually reduce
  the concentration of contaminants in sweat. (3)
• (1) Sci. Tot. Env. 103123-128. (2) Sci. Tot.
  Env. 74235-247. (3) Clinica Chemica Acta
  17781-88.

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However,

• Some studies do suggest that Al-based
  antiperspirants MAY possibly interfere with cells
  in the breast potentially leading to breast
  cancer (1,2).
• However, there is no direct evidence that this is
  the case. There are alternative explanations
  that also fit the data that do not have anything
  to do with antiperspirants (e.g., estrogen
  exposure 1).
• There are some studies that show that
  antiperspirants DO NOT cause an increase in
  breast cancer (3).
• (1) J. Inorg. Biochem. 991912-1919 (2) J. Appl.
  Toxicol. 2389-95 (3) J. Natl. Cancer Inst.
  941578-1580.

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Baseless Skin Toxin Removal

• Cupping
• Saunas
• Heat Therapy
• Bikram Yoga
• Products that claim to pull toxins out of your
  skin
• Always ask What toxins?

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Ears with Pinnae
• Pinnae (external ears) functions
• Sound gathering
• Temperature regulation
• Communication
• Reduced when unnecessary
• Aquatic mammals fluid/fluid transfer of sound
• Fossorial mammals transfer of sound through soil

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Solid Endoskeleton
• Lightweight, well ossified, strong
• Better muscle attachment
• Reduction in skeleton from reptilian form
• Large Braincase
• Holds larger brain with developed cerebral
  hemispheres

Braincase
Braincase
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Mammalian Characteristics

• Solid Endoskeleton
• Two occipital condyles
• First two vertebrae specialized
• Atlis/axis
• Greater head movement
• Reptiles limited to up/down, small side movement

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Solid Endoskeleton
• Three ear ossicles
• Reptiles have one
• Well developed auditory bullae
• Larger bullae have more air and less dampening
  effect on sound
• Increased hearing
• Simplified Lower Jaw
• One bone dentary
• Stronger

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Solid Endoskeleton
• Differential dentition (heterodont)
• Incisors, canines, premolars, molars
• Diphylodont two sets of teeth (milk/permanent)
• Thecodont rooted teeth
• Determinant growth
• Bones stop growing and cap
• Reptiles have continuous growth

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Solid Endoskeleton
• Multiple Zones of ossification
• Diaphyses central shaft ossification
• Epiphyses end cap ossification (joints)
• Vertebral Column
• Differentiated
• Cervical (neck) Usually 7, transverse process
• Thoracic (chest) ribs, neural spines
• Lumbar (lower back) transverse process
• Sacral (Pelvic) usually fused into one structure
• Caudal (Tail) nothing, sometimes fused

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Evolution of Vertebrae Specialization
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Mammalian Characteristics

• Limbs under body, not splayed like reptile
• Muscular Diaphragm
• More efficient respiration
• 4-chambered heart
• Separated double-pump
• Keeps oxygenated blood separate from unsaturated
  blood

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Mammalian Characteristics

• Enucleate Red Blood cells
• No nucleous in RBCs
• More room for oxygen
• Vivparous
• Almost all mammals are viviparous
• Some are oviparous (monotremes)