Thermoregulation Flashcards
(27 cards)
What did the utilization of networks and tissue systems lead to in complex animals?
The development of organs
Describe the form of organs.
they use branching and folding within their form, to maximize chemical exchange
How do organs communicate?
they are connected by circulatory systems
What does organ communication allow?
allows for the internal body environment to be regulated
What is homeostasis?
maintaining a steady state, where a variable is kept close to a set point, independent of the external environment
What is thermoregulation?
process in which animals maintain their internal temperature within a tolerable range
What happens when the body temperature goes outside the tolerable range?
efficiency of enzymes is reduced
alter fluidity of cell membranes
temperature-sensitive processes are disrupted
all with possible fatal results
What is a regulator?
uses internal control mechanisms to prevent change in body temperature in the face of external, environmental fluctuation
What is a conformer?
allows the internal body temperature to vary with external changes in the environment.
What does ectothermic mean?
animals gain heat form the external environment
What can ectotherms tolerate?
greater variation in internal temperature
What does endothermic mean?
animals generate heat by metabolism, to maintain constant internal body temperature
What are endotherms able to do?
remain active across a greater range of external temperatures
What can endotherms and ectotherms both have?
constant or variable body temperatures
What is a poikilotherm?
an animal whose body temperature that varies greatly with the environment
What are homeotherms?
an animal that keeps its body temperature relatively constant
What are the four forms of heat transfer?
radiation
evaporation
convection
conduction
How do animals change their temperature?
insulation circulatory adaptation evaporative cooling behavioral responses regulating metabolism
What is thermoregulation closely related to?
bioenergetics - overall transformation and flow of energy in an animal
What is metabolic rate?
amount of energy an animal uses in a unit of time
What is standard metabolic rate?
SMR: metabolic rate of an ectotherm at rest at a specific temperature
What is basal metabolic rate?
BMR: the metabolic rate of an endotherm at rest at a comfortable temperature
What is the thermo neutral zone?
TNZ: the comfortable temp where the animal does not need to change metabolic rate to keep body temperature constant
What is the body’s thermostat?
The hypothalamus
