Osmoregulation Flashcards
What is excretion?
the removal from the body of the waste products of metabolic activity
What are the two key functions that an excretory system performs?
Removes nitrogenous wastes and removes excess water to maintain a suitable osmolarity
What type of nitrogenous waste do aquatic organisms excrete?
Ammonia
What type of nitrogenous waste do terrestrial organisms excrete?
Urea
What type of nitrogenous waste do reptiles and birds excrete?
Uric acid
Which nitrogenous waste is more water soluble?
Ammonia
Which nitrogenous waste is less toxic?
Urea
What is osmolarity?
The concentration of solutes in water within cells
What does osmolarity impact?
Tissue viability
What are osmoconformers?
Organisms that maintain internal conditions that are equal to the osmolarity of their environment
What are examples of osmoconformers?
Most marine invertebrates including starfish, crabs, jellyfish, lobsters, sea squirts, and scallops are osmoconformers
What are osmoregulators?
Organisms that keep their body’s osmolarity constant, regardless of environmental conditions
What are examples of osmoregulators?
Many vertebrates, including humans, are osmoregulatory. Most freshwater fish are considered to be osmoregulatory too.
What is anhydrobiosis?
the ability of selected organisms to lose almost all water and enter a state of reversible ametabolism
What is an example of an anhydrobiotic organism?
Tardigrades
