Key Area 2.5 Metabolism and survival

Question 1

What does an animal become dormant?

Answer 1

During periods of environmental adversity.

Question 2

What can dormancy be?

Answer 2

Consequential or predictive.

Question 3

When does predictive dormancy occur?

Answer 3

Before the arrival of adverse conditions.

Question 4

What usually controls predictive dormancy?

Answer 4

Genetics.

Question 5

When does consequential dormancy occur?

Answer 5

After the arrival of the adverse conditions.

Question 6

What are 3 types of dormancy?

Answer 6

Hibernation, aestivation, and daily torpor.

Question 7

When would hibernation occur?

Answer 7

To survive adverse winter conditions when there is low temperatures and a lack of food.

Question 8

What do animals do before hibernating?

Answer 8

Consume extra food to store as fat.

Question 9

Is hibernation usually consequential or predictive?

Answer 9

Predictive.

Question 10

What happens to the animal during hibernation?

Answer 10

Metabolism decreases
Body temperature decreases
Heart rate slows 
Breathing rate slows
Minimum energy expenditure.

Question 11

When does aestivation occur?

Answer 11

To survive periods of drought and high temperatures.

Question 12

Is aestivation usually consequential or predictive?

Answer 12

Consequential.

Question 13

What is daily torpor?

Answer 13

A reduced period of activity in organisms with high metabolic rates.

Question 14

What happens to mammals during daily torpor?

Answer 14

Decreased heart rate, breaking rate, and body temperature.

Question 15

What are some advantages of daily torpor?

Answer 15

Small mammals and birds can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90%
Torpor decreases energy consumption when hunting would be unsuccessful or would leave the birds open to danger.

Question 16

What animals most commonly use daily torpor?

Answer 16

Birds.

Question 17

How can mammals avoid adverse conditions?

Answer 17

Migration.

Question 18

What is migration?

Answer 18

The regular movement of members of a species over a relatively long distance.

Question 19

What is an example of migration?

Answer 19

Birds flying south for winter.

Question 20

What are some advantages of migration?

Answer 20

Animals avoid metabolic adversity caused by food shortages and low temperatures.
It is normally a round trip and this allows favourable conditions throughout the year.

Question 21

What are some disadvantages of migration?

Answer 21

Huge amount of energy expended

Can be a long and dangerous journey.

Question 22

What are the 2 types of migration?

Answer 22

Innate and learned.

Question 23

What is innate migration?

Answer 23

Migration which is inherited. Every member of the species performs the migration in the same way. It occurs in response to an external stimuli.

Question 24

What is learned migration?

Answer 24

Migration which is taught after birth and is gained by experience. Occurs as a result of trial and error and the transmission of knowledge and skills in social groups. This means that lots of different members of the same species migrate in different ways.

Question 25

How do scientists track migration?

Answer 25

Leg rings: A metal band attached with a unique code is attached to the birds leg. The bird is then recaptured and its information is reported. Data is collected over many years.

Question 26

How do scientists track migration (Tagging)?

Answer 26

A circular tag is attached to a butterfly. The code on the tag can then be entered if the butterfly is rediscovered.

Question 27

How do scientists track migration (colour marking)?

Answer 27

Bright coloured flags are placed on larger birds and scientists can observe these from a distance with binoculars.

Question 28

How do scientists track migration (Satellite tracking)

Answer 28

Transmitters are attached to animals body. These send signals to satellites and information is relayed to investigators. This gives the most precise information.