Thermoregulation Flashcards
(102 cards)
Thermoneutral zone
The thermal zone which is suitable for the subjective demands of animals
Centre of thermoregulation
Hypothalamus
Animals can be divided into which groups of thermoregulation
- Poikilothermic animals
- Heterothermic animals
- Homeothermic animals
Poikilothermic animals
Body temp. changes depending on environmental temp.
Heterothermic animals
- Body temp. independent of environmental temp.
- Some time behave as poikilothermic animals
Homeothermic animals
- Body temp. independent of environmental temp.
- Permanently
Domestic animals belong to which thermogenic group?
Homeothermic animals
Core temperature is affected by…
- Time of day
- Feed intake
- Muscular activity
- Sex
- Age

Beginning of hibernation
- Metabolic rate decrease
- Body temperature decrease

Awakening
- Body temperature increase
- Metabolic rate increase
Hibernating animals becomes transiently…
Poikilothermic
During a 3-month hibernation period….
- CNS is the only system that remains at the core temperature
- Achieved by special heating elements surrounding the brain
Hibernation is interrupted by…
- Awakening phase (for a few hours)
- This happens every 2-3 weeks
- BMR rises 120-140%
- Rapid warming
- Feeding, micturate, defecate
Micturation
Urination
Aestivation
- ‘Hibernation’ in high environmental temperatures
- In the middle of summer, inactive metabolic condition
- Avoid dangers caused by dryness + heat
Torpor
- Animal is in a still, rigid state
- Observed in animals that cannot provide energy reserves at night
- Decrease of metabolic speed
- Body temp. = near environmental temp.
- Heat of the sun + increased BMR activates the animal again
E.g Hummingbird

The temperature of body parts
- Limbs are colder than the core
- The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids in the limbs is higher in polar animals
Coolin of the limbs is inhibited by…
Efficient heat exchange systems
One-way heat exchanger
- Low efficiency
- Effluent temp. gives the average of incoming temps.

Looping heat-exchange
- Most effective defence against heat loss
- Between the body and the ground

Counter-current heat exchanger
- More effective than unidirectional heat exchange
- Heat flowing out can be almost fully transferred in
- Temp of substance leaving warm branch = Temp of substance entering the cold branch
- Observed in domestic animals - Deep blood vessel systems

Influence of age on body temperature
- High temp in young animals - Higher BMR
- Thermoneutral zone becomes narrower as age increases

Thermoneutral zone
Value where animals consume the least amount of oxygen
Heat balance
- Occurs in normal conditions
- Total body heat (Ht) divided into:
- Produced heat
- Hm (Metabolic)
- Hs (Chemical)
- Exchanged heat
- Hc (Convection)
- Hr (Radiation)
- He (Evaporation)
- Produced heat































