Lecture 1 Flashcards
Physiological processes must obey
Physical and chemical laws
Physiology applies to the laws of
Thermodynamics
What is Bergmann’s Rule?
Animals living in cold environments tend to be larger than related species living in warmer climates
Physiological processes are regulated to
Maintain internal conditions within acceptable ranges
Most organisms are faced with some sort of
Environmental variation
When the environment changes, animals must
Adjust physiology to keep processes functioning normally
Animals can be classified according to the
Strategies they use to cope with changing conditions and maintain homeostasis
How do Conformers function?
They allow for internal conditions to change as external conditions vary
How do Conformers save energy?
By not having to warm or cool the body as environmental temperature changes
What is a con of Conformers?
There is a greater risk of freezing or overheating due to the less control over body temperature
Regulators function to
Adjust physiology in order to maintain relatively stable internal conditions regardless of the conditions in the external environment
Physiology can be adjusted via
Feedback loops
The physiological state of an animal is part of its phenotype, which is the
Product of its genetic make-up and its response to the environment
Phenotypic plasticity is when a
Single genotype can generate more than one phenotype depending on environmental conditions
Physiology can be adjusted based on
Changing conditions or needs
