A group of biologists have developed a general model to explain growth and development in ectothermic organisms. Changes in environmental temperatures effect the rates of most biological reactions and biological processes in ectotherms. The rates of ontogenetic growth and development are no exceptions. Ectothermic animals develop faster at warmer temperatures and they usually mature at smaller body sizes. This phenomenon has been called the temperature size rule (Zuo et Al. 2011). The temperature size rule is a necessary outcome of differences in the temperature dependence of somatic growth rate and development rate, thus proving rates of somatic growth and ontogenetic development increase with increasing temperatures, so time to maturity is
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The ectothermal approach to life enables animals to life in habitats that would be difficult or nearly impossible for an endotherm to live. The low energy requirement of ectotherms is the reason for this. They do not require energy to maintain the higher body temperatures that endotherms do. As a result of this, they have more tolerant tissues and can afford to eat less. Endotherms exhibit highly specialized tissues adapted to a certain narrow range of temperature and chemical composition that is maintained through homeostasis. Conversely, ectotherms have less specialized tissues that can tolerate greater changes in temperature and chemical composition. Because of this tolerance, ectotherms frequently have much longer life spans when compared to equivalent sized endotherms because of the greater strain endotherms place on their bodies by their active …show more content…
While it is quite energetically expensive, there are benefits to regulating body temperature at a constant high level. Endotherms have a complex biochemistry highly adapted to the stable internal environment maintained by homeostasis. This means that endotherms are more efficient than ectotherms because they are adapted to a specific range of conditions, whereas in ectotherms the biochemical pathways have to be able to function at a wider range of temperatures and conditions. The Central nervous system functions more rapidly at high temperatures resulting in faster responses to external and internal stimuli. Muscle viscosity declines at high temperatures as well, causing a more rapid, forceful contraction. This accounts for the greater stamina of endotherms (Gotthard 2015). While endothermy may be a very energetically expensive way of life, it gives considerable freedom from the physical
The ectothermal approach to life enables animals to life in habitats that would be difficult or nearly impossible for an endotherm to live. The low energy requirement of ectotherms is the reason for this. They do not require energy to maintain the higher body temperatures that endotherms do. As a result of this, they have more tolerant tissues and can afford to eat less. Endotherms exhibit highly specialized tissues adapted to a certain narrow range of temperature and chemical composition that is maintained through homeostasis. Conversely, ectotherms have less specialized tissues that can tolerate greater changes in temperature and chemical composition. Because of this tolerance, ectotherms frequently have much longer life spans when compared to equivalent sized endotherms because of the greater strain endotherms place on their bodies by their active …show more content…
While it is quite energetically expensive, there are benefits to regulating body temperature at a constant high level. Endotherms have a complex biochemistry highly adapted to the stable internal environment maintained by homeostasis. This means that endotherms are more efficient than ectotherms because they are adapted to a specific range of conditions, whereas in ectotherms the biochemical pathways have to be able to function at a wider range of temperatures and conditions. The Central nervous system functions more rapidly at high temperatures resulting in faster responses to external and internal stimuli. Muscle viscosity declines at high temperatures as well, causing a more rapid, forceful contraction. This accounts for the greater stamina of endotherms (Gotthard 2015). While endothermy may be a very energetically expensive way of life, it gives considerable freedom from the physical