Key Area 2.4 Conformers and regulators Flashcards
What is an abiotic factor?
A factor in an organisms external environment which can affect their metabolic rate.
What are some examples of abiotic factors?
Temperature
pH
Salinity.
What is a conformer?
The state of a conformers internal environment is dependant on the abiotic factors in its external environment.
What is an example of a conformer?
Snakes.
What is a regulator?
The internal environment of a regulator is not dependant on the external environment.
What is an example of a regulator?
Humans.
What kind of ecological niche do conformers have?
A narrow one.
What kind of ecological niche do regulators have?
A wide one.
What is a disadvantage of being a regulator compared to a conformer?
Regulators have much higher metabolic costs than conformers.
What is a way that conformers use to maintain their optimum metabolic rate?
Behavioural responses.
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance if the bodys internal environment within limits despite the external environment.
What is negative feedback control?
When a body internal environment deviates from normal it is detected by receptors and these receptors send hormonal or nervous impulses and effectors act to return the internal environment back to normal.
What is the temperature monitoring centre in humans called?
The hypothalamus.
What does the hypothalamus contain?
Thermoreceptors.
What does the hypothalamus receive?
Nerve impulses from the skin.
What does the body do when to is too cold?
Shivering: muscles relax and contract continuously to generate heat from movement.
Vasoconstriction: Blood vessels become narrower to reduce heat loss from radiation. Blood is diverted to internal organs.
Hair erector muscles contract: This traps a layer of insulating air.
Decreased sweat production: Prevents heat loss through evaporation.
What does the body do when it is too hot?
Increased sweat production: The evaporation of water of the skin has a cooling effect.
Vasodilation: Blood vessels become wider to allow more heat loss through the skin by radiation.
Hair erector muscles relax: Loss of layer of insulating air.
What are some advantages of maintaining a constant body temperature?
Allows animals to maintain the optimum temperature for enzyme activity.
Allows high diffusion rates.