2.5 Metabolism and Adverse Conditions

Question 1

Define ‘adverse condition’

Answer 1

When an environment has varied beyond tolerable limits for normal metabolic activity for any particular organism

Question 2

Give three examples of adverse condition

Answer 2

1. Low temperature
2. High temperature
3. Drought

Question 3

State the two common strategies to survive adverse conditions

Answer 3

1. Dormancy
2. Migration

Question 4

Define ‘dormancy’

Answer 4

A part of some organisms’ life cycle which allows survival during a period when the costs of continued normal metabolic activity would be too high.

Question 5

Explain how dormancy allows survival of adverse conditions

Answer 5

The metabolic rate can be reduced to save energy which causes a decrease in heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature

Question 6

Is dormancy something an organism will do continually?

Answer 6

No. Dormancy is only done during adverse conditions.

Question 7

Explain the differences between predictivie and consequential dormancy

Answer 7

• Predictive dormancy occurs BEFORE the onset of adverse conditions.
• Consequential dormancy occurs AFTER the onset of adverse conditions.

Question 8

State the three types of dormancy

Answer 8

1. Hiberation
2. Aestivation
3. Daily Torpor

Question 10

Define ‘aestivation’

Answer 10

a type of dormancy in response to drought or extreme high temperatures.

e.g. a garden snail will enter aestivation when there is little water

Question 11

Define ‘daily torpor’

Answer 11

a period of reduced activity in some animals with high metabolic rates.

e.g. many bird species enter daily torpor overnight to survive the cold

Question 12

Define ‘migration’

Answer 12

avoids metabolic adversity by expending energy to relocate to a more suitable environment.

e.g. artic tern migrates from the far north to far south to access food

Question 13

Describe the specialised techniques used to study long-distance migration

Answer 13

• Leg rings
• Satellite tracking