Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
4a – Metabolism in Conformers - Coggle Diagram
4a – Metabolism in Conformers
Metabolic Rate and Environment
The ability of an organism to
maintain
its metabolic rate is affected by
external abiotic factors
.
Environmental Conditions
The
environment
an organism exists in can
change
very
quickly
: e.g
rain, wind, sunlight, cloud cover
Or more
slowly
on a
monthly
basis: e.g.
seasons
Or
Longer timescales
–
continental drift
and other
geological effects.
All organisms have
evolved
ways to adjust to these
changes
.
However, changes can cause
stress
to the organism, where the condition is
outside of their normal physiological range
Behavioural Responses
(AVOIDANCE)
Changes in an organism's behavior
which can be
observed and which help them to
maintain optimum metabolic rate
Desert mammals
being
nocturnal
and living in
underground burrows
during the
day
to
escape the heat
of the desert sun.
Hibernation or migration
to avoid
low temperatures
in winter e.g.
swallows
,
whales
, wildebeest
Deciduous trees lose leaves
in the
low light intensity
periods
Sheep huddle in cold conditions
Some animals
adjust themselves to a particular position
e.g.
bees use wings to cool the hive
All avoidance usually involves a
considerable investment of energy
from the individuals concerned, but is
beneficial in the long-term
Physiological Responses
Changes in the way an organism's body functions
to enable it to
survive in changing circumstances
Many of these responses enable an organism to show a certain
tolerance
to the
changes in its environment
The
camel's body tissues are very tolerant to dehydration
- it can
lose up to 30% of its body water
and still survive.
(In humans a 10% water loss causes kidney failure.)
We
shiver
,
hairs stand up
, in response to cold
Wilting in plants
Growing a thick coat of fur
Conformers
Conformers: Advantages &
Disadvantages
+
low metabolic cost
because it does
not need to use energy
consuming physiological mechanisms to maintain homeostasis.
-The animal is
restricted to a narrow range of ecological niches
and is
less adaptable to environmental changes.
Types of Conformers
Osmoconformers
Osmoconformers: Marine invertebrates, such as crabs, shrimp and jellyfish.
They are isosmotic which means their body fluids are isotonic with their environment.
Osmoconformers do not alter their internal solute concentration.
Poikilotherms
Poikilotherms : Animals whose body temperature varies with the surrounding environment.
These are usually ectotherms (cold-blooded) that absorb heat from the surrounding environment.
For Example: snakes, lizards and marine fish.
Organisms whose
internal physiological variables fluctuate
directly with the
changes in the abiotic factors
in the
external environment.
Most conformers live in the
ocean
where the
environment is relatively stable.
Homostasis
Despite
changes
in their
external environment
, organisms must
maintain
a
constant internal environment
.
Therefore, organisms must
adapt
to
maintain a constant internal environment
, or become
restricted
within a very
small habitat
.
Organisms have
evolved a variety
of
BEHAVIOURAL and PHYSIOLOGICAL mechanisms
to enable them to
maintain homeostasis
and
deal
with these
changes
.
“
niche
” describes the role an organism plays in a community