2.4 Metabolism in Conformers and Regulators

Question 1

State some abiotic factors that can affect an organism’s ability to maintain its metabolic rate?

Answer 1

Salinity, Temperature and pH

Question 2

What is the definition of a ‘conformer’

Answer 2

Organism who cannot regulate their internal environment by physiological means

Question 3

What is a ‘regulator’?

Answer 3

An organism that can regulate their internal environment by physiological means

Question 4

Give an example of a conformer

Answer 4

Spider Crab

Question 5

Give an advantage and a disadvantage of a conformer

Answer 5

:) Low metabolic cost, energy conservation

:( Narrow range of ecological niches, less adaptable

Question 6

Describe the metabolic costs and ecological niches of a regulator

Answer 6

:) Occupy a wide range of niches

:( Energy costs and metabolic costs are high

Question 7

What is ‘Homeostasis’

Answer 7

The maintenance of a steady internal environment

Question 8

What control mechanism does homeostasis use?

Answer 8

Negative Feedback Control

Question 9

What is the ‘set point’

Answer 9

The optimum level of a factor

Question 10

Describe the process of negative feedback control

Answer 10

Receptors inside a monitoring centre monitor a factor. If it fluctuates from its set point, nerves/hormone messages are sent to effector organs, which will initiate a corrective mechanism to bring factor back to setpoint.

Question 11

What is Thermoregulation?

Answer 11

A form of homeostasis where the body temperature is maintained at optimum

Question 12

What is the optimum body temperature for a human?

Answer 12

37 degrees celsius

Question 13

What is the temperature monitoring centre in humans?

Answer 13

Hypothalamus

Question 14

What type of message is sent to effector organs in thermoregulation

Answer 14

Nerve message

Question 15

What is the response of the sweat glands if there is a increase is detected in the body temperature?

Answer 15

Sweat glands activated, allowing for heat loss by evaportation

Question 16

What type of heat loss is in sweat glands?

Answer 16

Evaporation

Question 17

What is the response of sweat glands if a decrease is detected in body temperature?

Answer 17

Sweat glands close and less heat is lost by evaporation

Question 18

What is the response of the hair erector muscles if a decrease is detected in body temperature?

Answer 18

They contract, raising the hairs on skin, trapping a layer of warm air, insulating the skin

Question 19

What type of heat loss is found by heat on skin? (hair raising etc)

Answer 19

Radiation

Question 20

Give examples of physiological mechanisms to cope with change to internal environment in regulators

Answer 20

• Control of blood glucose
• Control of blood water
• Control of body temperature

Question 21

Vasoconstriction is a response to _______?

Answer 21

A decrease in body temperature

Question 22

What happens in Vasodilation?

Answer 22

Response to increase in body temperature

• blood vessels expand
• blood vessels move closer to face

Question 23

What happens in Vasoconstriction?

Answer 23

Response to decrease in body temperature

• blood vessels constrict
• blood vessels move away from face

Question 24

Why is it important to maintain body temperature?

Answer 24

• Enzymes have an optimum, allowing them to work at best, high metabolic rate
• Temperature affects diffusion rates, faster at warmer temps, contribute to maintenance of high metabolic activity

Question 25

What happens to metabolic rate when the internal temperature of a human decreases?

Answer 25

It decreases as well