Lecture 4a - Animals environment Flashcards
What is in an animals physical environment?
Climate and light
Food
Space
Interaction with other animals
Components of climate
Temperature Light Precipitation and humidity Windspeed Altitude Parasites and diseases
Three different types of climate
Macroclimate
Mesoclimate
Microclimate
What is a macroclimate?
Weather in a large geographical area
What is a mesoclimate?
Weather as modified by local topography
What is a microclimate?
Climate immediately around the animal
Direct effects on the animal
Effects of ambient temperature on heat exchanges of the animal
Indirect effects
In random effects
In parallel effects
Heat gains in animals
Basal heat production Digestive heat production Muscular heat production Heat production due to productive processes Heat gains due to external environments
Factors in heat gain in animals
Feed and water intake Digestive tract fermentation Muscular activity Production levels Genotype External environments
Heat losses in animals are either..
Non-evaporative losses
Evaporative losses
What are non-evaporative losses?
Conduction (contact of molecules)
Convection (mass motion of molecules)
Radiation (electromagnetic)
What are evaporative losses?
From skin
From respiratory tract
Factors in heat loss in animals
Climatic environment Morphology Rates of blood flow and respiration Water exchange rates Genotype
Animal response to changes in the thermal environment are?
Behavioural
Physiological
What are behavioural changes in animals in response to changes in the thermal environment?
Seek shelter/shade
Adjust food intake
Adjust activity levels
What are physiological changes in animals in response to changes in the thermal environment?
Adjust metabolic rate
Vasoconstriction
Sweating
Consequences of inappropriate environment on newborn animals?
Acute
Possibly lethal
Consequences of inappropriate environment on juvenile animals?
Chronic- effects on growth and efficiency of food use
Consequences of inappropriate environment on adult animals?
Chronic - effects on efficiency of food use and reproduction
Effects of high temperature on reproduction in females?
Delayed puberty Embryo loss Foetal loss Reduced foetal size Abnormal ova Reduced gestation length
Effects of high temperature on reproduction in males?
Delayed puberty
Reduced libido
Effects on spermatogenesis
Effects of day length on animals
Changes in activity Reproduction Changes in food intake Changes in growth Changes in lactation
