Animal Form and Function
Define convergent evolution.
species that are not closely related exhibit similar traits due to facing similar selection pressures
What is the function of glial cells?
to nourish and insulate neurons
How do regulators manage their internal environments?
they use control mechanisms to keep internal environment constant, even when external environment is changing
Define torpor.
a physiological state where an animal's activity and metabolism are greatly decreased to reduce their energy needs
What are poikilotherms?
species that let their body temperature change with the environment
What is an example of circulatory fluid?
blood or hemolymph
What are the different types of connective tissue?
adipose tissue, loose connective tissue, fibrous connective tissue, bone, blood, and cartilage
Explain the difference between positive and negative feedback loops.
while positive feedback loops amplify a stimulus, negative feedback loops reduce the stimulus
How does an animal's size compare to its metabolic rate?
larger animals have more body mass, which requires more metabolic energy
How does vasodilation function as a thermoregulatory adaptation?
as blood vessels get bigger and allow more blood to flow through them, blood near the body's surface increases and moves heat from blood to environment
Do larger species need more material to maintain their bodies? Why or why not?
yes because the amount of material that needs to be exchanged is proportional to body volume
Share whether each muscle type is striated/non-striated and voluntary/involuntary.
Skeletal: striated and voluntary
Cardiac: striated and involuntary
Smooth: non-striated and involuntary
What are two differences between the endocrine system and the nervous system?
speed: ES is slow-acting while NS is fast-acting
target: ES signaling can affect one or more locations, but NS signaling goes to a specific cell
Why is SMR used to measure the metabolic rate of ectothermic species?
the metabolic rate of ectotherms varies with body temperature and body temperature varies with environmental temperature, so measuring the metabolic rate must include the temperature at which the measurement was taken
Define acclimatization and give an example.
animals change how much they rely on a specific thermoregulation technique over different parts of the year
ex: dogs can shed their winter coat when the weather starts warming up, reducing their reliance on insulation