Ram Research Directory

Giovanni Casotti

Education

• B.S., Ph.D. Murdoch University (Australia)

Research Interests

birdsfunctional morphology and physiologyavian kidneylower gastrointestinal tractnitrogenous wastebird speciespedagogyinquiry-based learning

Opportunities

Work Study Positions Available: No

Grant Funded Positions Available: No

Course-Credit Research Opportunities Available: No

Volunteer Research Positions Available: No

Biography

Dr. Casotti's research examines how birds osmoregulate in different environments. His research focuses on the functional morphology and physiology of the avian kidney and the lower gastrointestinal tract. He has conducted research in arid and mesic environments on different bird species, and is particularly interested in how birds handle nitrogenous waste. Dr. Casotti uses the techniques of transmission and scanning electron microscopy and light histology. Dr. Casotti is also interested in teaching pedagogy particularly inquiry-based learning. He has received funding from the National Science Foundation and works closely with ADInstruments Inc.in conducting inquiry-based workshops at West Chester University. More recently he partnered with Dr. Knabb (Biology) in developing and teaching a graduate online course and publishing the pedagogy results in the Journal, Advances in Physiological Education, and the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science.

Contact Information

Phone: 610-436-2856

List of Publications

• Casotti, G. and Bradley, J. S. (1991). Leaf nitrogen and its effects on the rate of herbivory on selected eucalypts in the jarrah forest. Forest Ecology and Management 41, 167-177. |pdf | Richardson, K. C., Wooller, R. D. and Casotti, G. (1991). The relative sizes and asymmetry of kidneys in passerine birds from Australia and North America. Journal of Anatomy 175, 181-185. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Richardson, K. C. (1992). A stereological analysis of kidney structure of honeyeater birds (Meliphagidae) inhabiting either arid or wet environments. Journal of Anatomy 180, 281-288. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Richardson, K. C. (1993a). Ecomorphological constraints imposed by the kidney component measurements in honeyeater birds inhabiting different environments. Journal of Zoology 231, 611-625. Casotti, G. and Richardson, K. C. (1993b). A qualitative analysis of the kidney structure of meliphagid honeyeaters from wet and arid environments. Journal of Anatomy 182, 239-247. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Braun, E.J. (1994). Structure of the glomerular capillaries of the domestic chicken and desert quail. Journal of Morphology, 224, 57-63. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Braun, E.J. (1996). Functional morphology of the glomerular filtration barrier in Gallus gallus. Journal of Morphology, 228, 327-334. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Braun, E.J. (1997). The ionic composition of urate containing spheres in the urine of the domestic fowl. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. 118A, 585-588. |pdf | Casotti, G., Beuchat, C.A. and Braun, E.J. (1998). Morphology of the kidney in a nectarivorous bird, the Anna's hummingbird Calypte anna. Journal of Zoology, London. 244, 175-184. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Braun E.J. (2000). Renal anatomy in sparrows from different environments. Journal of Morphology 243, 283-291. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Braun E.J. (2000). Functional morphology of the avian medullary cone. American Journal of Physiology 279, R1722-R1730. |pdf | Layton, H.E., Davies, J.M., Casotti, G., and Braun, E.J. (2000). Mathematical model of an avian urine concentrating mechanism. American Journal of Physiology 279, F1139-F1160. |pdf | Casotti, G. (2001). Seasonal effects on kidney morphology in house sparrows. Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 1201-1206. |pdf | Casotti, G. (2001). Luminal morphology of the avian lower intestine: evidence supporting the importance of retrograde peristalsis for water conservation. The Anatomical Record 263, 289-296. |pdf | Casotti, G. and Braun, E.J. (2004). Protein location and elemental composition of urine spheres in different avian species. The Journal of Experimental Zoology, Part A- Comparative Experimental Zoology 301A:579-587. |pdf | Slusher, l., Waldron, T., Misquith. G.P., Powers, D. and Casotti, G. (2004). Nucleotide and amino acid sequence of avian aquaporin-1.NCBInucleotide database. Accession #: AY817455. Casotti, G., Herrera, L.G., Flores, J.J., Mancina, C.A. and Braun, E.J. (2006). Relationships between renal morphology and diet in 26 species of new world bats (Suborder Microchiroptera). Zoology 109: 196-207. |pdf | Casotti, G., Waldron, T., Misquith, G., Powers, D. and Slusher, L. (2007). Expression and localization of an AQP-1 homologue in the kidney and lower intestine of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 147, 355-362. |pdf | Christen, S., Moritz, J, Falkenstein, E, Van Dyke K, Casotti, G, and Klandorf, H, (2008). Inosine Ameliorates the Effects of Hemin-Induced Oxidative Stress in Broilers. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A 151, 670-675. |pdf | Casotti, G., Reiser-Danner, L. and Knabb, M. T. (2008). Successful implementation of inquiry-based physiology laboratories for undergraduate majors and non majors courses. Advances in Physiological Education 32, 286-296. |pdf | Pugliesi, L., Casotti, G. and Woodruff, R.I. (2010). Serial sections with plastic-embedded tissue. Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences 84(1): 45-47. |pdf | Casotti, G., Beneski, J.T. and Knabb, M, T. (2013). Teaching physiology online: successful use of case studies in a graduate course. Advances in Physiological Education 37: 65-69. |pdf |. Casotti, G. (2013). The Deep: The physiology of decompression sickness. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. Case Study. Casotti, G. (2014). Loggerhead turtle migration. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. Case Study. Casotti, G. (2017). Living on the edge. A day in the life of a hummingbird. Case Study.

Links

• ResearchGate