THERMOREGULATION
ENDOTHERMS & ECTOTHERMS
● ectotherms–
○ low metabolic rate
○ heat generates has low impact on body temp
■ body temp determined by surround temp
■ fishes, amphibians, invertebrates
● endotherms–
○ high metabolic rate
○ generates heat to keep body warmer than
environment
■ mammals, birds, some fishes and
reptiles, insects
○ endothermy–
■ high & stable internal temperature
■ biochemical and physiological
adaptations
THERMOREGULATION
1. circulatory adaptations–
● vasodilation: widens blood vessels, increasing heat loss via radiation, conduction, and
convection.
● vasoconstriction: narrows blood vessels, reducing heat loss and conserving core heat.
● countercurrent exchange:
○ adjacent arteries and veins transfer heat between opposing blood flows.
■ visible in marine animals
2. evaporative cooling–
● heat dissipates as water evaporates from skin or respiratory surfaces
○ sweating
○ beathing
3. behavioral responses–
● changes in posture, movement to control body temp
○ hibernation, migration
○ bask in the sun/ warm rocks
4. metabolic heat production–
● applies only to endotherms
○ mammals & birds
● discussed later ;-;
ECTOTHERM VS ENDOTHERM THERMOREGULATION
mammals & birds–
● endotherms with a narrow body temp range
○ warm → cooler objects
THERMOREGULATION
■ must counteract heat loss
○ dependent on high metabolic rate of endothermy
■ produce large amounts of heat to match rate of heat loss
● nonshivering thermogenesis:
○ mitochondria produce heat instead of ATP
○ takes place throughout the body
■ brown fat specialized for rapid heat production
○ can increase metabolic heat production by 5 to 10 times
● insulation–
○ thermoregulatory adaption
○ reduces flow of heat and lowers energy cost
○ humans– fat; birds/land mammals– fur/feathers
■ hair loses insulating power when wet
■ marine animals– blubber
● thick layer of insulating fat
● vasodilation & vasoconstriction
● marine animals–
○ spend part of year in freezing temperatures
○ loss of heat to water: 50 to 100 times faster than to air
○ blubber insulation effective
■ body temp of around 36-38 degrees Celsius
● live in places where cooling is also required
○ evaporation keeps body temp from rising too much
○ other mechanisms like panting, sweat glands, spreading saliva, etc…
○ skin used in thermoregulation (in humans):
THERMOREGULATION
amphibian & reptiles–
● metabolic rates don’t affect body temp
○ ectotherms
○ optimal temp varies greatly
● behavioural adaptations
○ location with solar heat
○ when too warm → cooler microenvironments
● physiological adaptations
○ marine iguana
■ vasocontriction of blood vessells
● routes more blood to central core
○ some become endothermic under special circumstances
■ female pthyons
fishes–
● conformers
○ initial body temperature of 1-2 degree celsius
● metabolic heat lost when swimming
○ to surrounding water
● endothermic fishes–
○ circulatory adaptations
■ large arteries convey cold blood from gills → tissues
■ branches deliver blood to muscles
● small vessels for countercurrent heat exchange
■ in large, powerful swimmers
THERMOREGULATION
invertebrates–
● mainly thermoconformers
○ little to no control over body temperature
● can adjust internal temp by behavioural mechanisms
○ same as vertabrates
● flying insects–
○ capacity depends on flight muscles
■ generate large amounts of heat when used
○ use shivering
■ contract flight muscles in synchrony
