animal form and function Flashcards
What are the three basic needs all animals must meet?
Obtain nutrients/oxygen, fight off infection, produce offspring.
How do variations in animal form occur?
Through natural selection and evolutionary pressures in certain populations
How is relative fitness measured?
By the ability to survive and reproduce
What determines an animal’s function?
Its structure
What are fundamental aspects of an animal’s form?
Size and shape
What influences body plans in animals?
Patterns of development programmed by genes
What limits the range of animal forms?
Laws governing strength, diffusion, and heat exchange
How does an increase in size affect an animal’s body structure?
Larger animals require bigger muscles and skeletons, which can limit locomotion
Why can’t large terrestrial organisms rely on simple diffusion to remove waste?
Because their body size is too great for diffusion to be effective.
How does water compare to air in density and viscosity?
Water is 4x denser and more viscous than air
How does body shape affect aquatic animals’ movement?
A fusiform (torpedo) shape allows for fast movement in water
What is an example of convergent evolution in aquatic animals?
Different species evolving a fusiform shape due to similar environmental pressures
How does muscle mass change with increasing body size?
A larger fraction of body mass must be muscle for movement
How does exchange of substances occur in animals?
When dissolved substances move across a plasma membrane in an aqueous solution
How does body volume affect exchange requirements?
A: Larger body volume requires greater absorption of resources
What adaptations help animals maximize exchange?
Flattened shape, thin cell layers, and extensively branched or folded surfaces
What are examples of specialized exchange surfaces in animals?
Alveoli in lungs, folds in intestines
