SPICER, J I; Univ. of Plymouth, UK: Following changes in timing during the development of physiological function

There is increased interest in studying and indeed quantifying the changes in timing that take place during the development of physiological function in animals investigated both as a within-individual (ontogenic) and a between-species (phylogenetic) phenomenon. The recent appearance of robust and quantitative approaches for studying heterochrony, approaches which are more conducive to working with physiological traits than the ‘morphology-centered’ approaches of the past, may well alter the direction followed, and even the questions posed, by animal developmental physiologists. However, there are still difficulties which need to be addressed: How do we manage to generate sufficient data sets for the development of physiological traits, regulata and functions?; Is it worth generating such data sets if we can use morphological or molecular data sets to address the same questions? Are physiological ‘features’ nested in a way that differs from morphological or molecular ‘features’ and if so how does this affect our use of emerging analytical techniques to follow changes in timing? In this talk I will discuss some of these issues and in doing so present an assessment of how established techniques for studying changing in timing could or could not aid the study of animal developmental physiology.