Thermoregulation

Thermoregulation is the process of regulating the internal body temperature of animals within a certain range. Endotherms, such as mammals and birds, thermoregulate internally by generating heat from metabolic processes and are able to keep their body temperature high and relatively constant, adapting to the environment to maintain homeostasis. This type of thermoregulation requires a high metabolic rate, that enables organisms to be more physically active without having to rely on the environment, hence increases evolutionary fitness. Ectotherms, such as reptiles and fish obtain heat from the environment and hence have a slower metabolism and can tolerate fluctuations in their internal temperature. Ectotherms thermoregulate by adjusting their behaviour, for example, laying in the sun or submerging themselves in water (Mrowka & Reuter 2016; Griebeler 2013; Grady et al. 2014; Reece et al. 2015). There is evidence to support both types of thermoregulation occurred in…

The human body may not have an electric thermostat, but it certainly has a physiology temperature control center. Thermoregulation, or the process by which animals maintain a normal body temperature, is crucial for keeping enzymes and proteins properly functioning (Reece, 2014). In fact, changes in the mammalian nervous system due to temperature fluctuations can cause “loss of consciousness and the inability to coordinate and execute motor activities,” so maintaining a stable temperature is key…

Homeostasis is defined as the means by which the internal atmosphere of the human body remains balanced regardless of the numerous changes within the environment (Mastrangelo, 2013). One of the most remarkable attributes of homeostatic control is body temperature regulation. Thermoregulation is controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is a vastly complex, multifaceted neural system that sustains the internal homeostasis of the human body (Chawla, 2013). Within the ANS, is the…

Discuss the role of thermoregulation in tetrapods as an adaptation for life on land. [6] Enzymes serve as catalysts for chemical reactions in the body, and they function more efficiently within select temperature ranges. As such, it is advantageous for vertebrates to maintain a body temperature that is consistently within this ideal range. Thermoregulation is the maintenance of this ideal body temperature range. Aquatic habitats are naturally thermoregulatory due to the ability of water to…

When Ohil woke up in a crowded hospital room, he wondered where he was. He remembered nothing about how he got there, or who the people around him were. Then he remembered as he drifted off to sleep. He he happily skied down a mountainside when part of one of his skis broke off. He looked down to see what happened and part of the ski was decimated. He went tumbling down the mountain, only to hit a snow covered boulder. He flew into the air in a pandemonium of limbs and skiing equipment when he…

There are many definitions of thermal comfort, which depends on the aims and expectations of those who defined it (Chappells, and Shove, 2004). Jiao (2010) stated that, the rate at which human body gain and lose energy, and also the state of comfort is satisfactory once all heat flow in and out of the body are in equilibrium. Also, (ASHRAE 2004), described it as “the state of mind that expresses satisfaction with the surrounding environment.” This definition highlights subjective and…

We say things to our children like—haste makes waste, a stitch in time saves nine, look before you leap and stop and think. Perhaps parents and caretakers should heed their own words. No child should be left behind in an unattended motor vehicle only to die as a result of extremely high temperatures. This senseless act is child abuse, neglect and it is crucial the federal government take an active to reduce and ultimately prevent this from happening. Almost 20 years ago, at least 702 children…

Introduction As homeotherms, humans have the ability to control thermoregulatory mechanisms: physiological processes that are critical to maintaining core temperature within a very narrow limit. Although peripheral temperature fluctuates regularly & often largely in response to ambient temperature, core temperature must be maintained within a tight window in order for the human body to function properly. Throughout the course of circadian rhythm, the body’s core temperature can fluctuate by up…

Therefore, if these responses and behavioral mechanisms such as seeking shade in the heat, are able to restore the balance in the body temperature, it is detected by the thermoreceptors and relayed back to the thermoregulatory centre. But in a prolonged exposure to high environmental temperature, body temperature cannot be restored by negative feedback control because the mechanisms of homeostasis become over-whelmed, then the normal biochemical and physiological balance in the body is lost.…

Endothermy has a lot of benefits and costs compared to ectotherms. Endotherms depend on their bodies metabolism to produce enough heat to raise their body temperature. Endotherms balance heat production with heat loss. Each endotherm has a range of environmental temperatures that keeps its body stable and it does this by regulating the heat loss and heat production. They regulate their body heat by vaping their metabolic rate and change its rate of heat loss by adjusting their insulation.…