Thermoregulation Flashcards
(29 cards)
What is morphological adaptation?
A structural change which gives an animal a greater chance of survival in its habitat
What is an anatomical adaptation?
Physical features of animals which help them to survive in a specific environment
What are environmental factors that influence animals?
Ambient temperature
Relative humidity
Radiation
Precipitation
Atmospheric pressure
Wind velocity
What is body Thermoregulation?
The interaction of core and surface temperature
What is the 1st law of thermodynamics?
Energy is never created only transferred from one form to another. Heat represents the bottom level of energy transformation
What is the 2nd law of thermodynamics?
All order goes towards disorder. We have less organised energy in the universe than we had yesterday, with the result being the ultimate release of energy in it’s lowest from (heat)
What are the features of endotherms?
Warm blooded animals
Core body temperature relatively stable and determined mainly by internal sources of heat
Independent of environmental temperature
Thermoregulation is the process of control
What are the features of ectotherms?
Core body temperature derived mainly by external sources of heat
Core body temperature fluctuates with environmental temperature
Environmental temperature rapidly affects functioning
May still be some modification/regulation
What are the advantages of being an endotherm?
Continuation of temp dependent reactions
Continuation of enzyme controlled reactions
What are the advantages of being an ectotherm?
Fluctuates with external temperature
They use less of their food in respiration
Survive for long periods of time without eating
More energy can be used for growth
What are the disadvantages of being an endotherm?
Requires regulation
Moderate deviations from normal temperature can have serious effects
What are the disadvantages of being an ectotherm?
Less active in cooler temperature
Not capable of activity during climatic extreme
Need sufficient stores of energy to survive during climatic extremes
Can’t increase respiration rates to generate internal heat
What is a stress/stressor?
Any condition or agent that altered the resting state of a system and ultimately results in an adaptive response
What is the strain of a system?
The displacement from base level of the system due to stressor impact is defined as the strain on the system
What does the regulation of temperature depend on?
Ability to produce heat at low environmental temperature
Ability to lose heat at higher environmental temperature
What is the comfort zone?
Neither producing extra heat or having to use energy losing it
What is the comfort zone/thermal neutral zone (TNZ) defined as?
Defined as the range of ambient temperatures where the body van maintain it’s core temperature solely through regulating dry heat loss
What are the channels of heat exchange?
Conduction- through medium
Convection- through fluid
Radiation- as waves
Evaporation- usually only heat loss
What are the sources of heat production?
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
Productive processes
Heat increment of feeding
Shivering
Non shivering thermogenesis
Muscular activity
What are the sources that may increase or decrease the rate of energy less from the body?
Vaso-dilation / vaso-constriction
Coat- pilo erection
Sweating/panting
Subcutaneous fat
Behavioural means
What is the lower critical temperature (LCT)?
Below this, animal must increase their metabolic rate to maintain a steady body temperature
What is upper critical temperature?
Above this, animal is unable to regulate its body temperature
What is zone of minimal metabolism (CE)?
Animals metabolic rate is minimum, constant and independent of environmental temperature
What are the factors affecting rate of heat production?
Environmental temperature
Body size
Plane of nutrition
