Thermoregulation Flashcards
Thermoneutral zone
The thermal zone which is suitable for the subjective demands of animals
Centre of thermoregulation
Hypothalamus
Animals can be divided into which groups of thermoregulation
- Poikilothermic animals
- Heterothermic animals
- Homeothermic animals
Poikilothermic animals
Body temp. changes depending on environmental temp.
Heterothermic animals
- Body temp. independent of environmental temp.
- Some time behave as poikilothermic animals
Homeothermic animals
- Body temp. independent of environmental temp.
- Permanently
Domestic animals belong to which thermogenic group?
Homeothermic animals
Core temperature is affected by…
- Time of day
- Feed intake
- Muscular activity
- Sex
- Age

Beginning of hibernation
- Metabolic rate decrease
- Body temperature decrease

Awakening
- Body temperature increase
- Metabolic rate increase
Hibernating animals becomes transiently…
Poikilothermic
During a 3-month hibernation period….
- CNS is the only system that remains at the core temperature
- Achieved by special heating elements surrounding the brain
Hibernation is interrupted by…
- Awakening phase (for a few hours)
- This happens every 2-3 weeks
- BMR rises 120-140%
- Rapid warming
- Feeding, micturate, defecate
Micturation
Urination
Aestivation
- ‘Hibernation’ in high environmental temperatures
- In the middle of summer, inactive metabolic condition
- Avoid dangers caused by dryness + heat
Torpor
- Animal is in a still, rigid state
- Observed in animals that cannot provide energy reserves at night
- Decrease of metabolic speed
- Body temp. = near environmental temp.
- Heat of the sun + increased BMR activates the animal again
E.g Hummingbird

The temperature of body parts
- Limbs are colder than the core
- The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids in the limbs is higher in polar animals
Coolin of the limbs is inhibited by…
Efficient heat exchange systems
One-way heat exchanger
- Low efficiency
- Effluent temp. gives the average of incoming temps.

Looping heat-exchange
- Most effective defence against heat loss
- Between the body and the ground

Counter-current heat exchanger
- More effective than unidirectional heat exchange
- Heat flowing out can be almost fully transferred in
- Temp of substance leaving warm branch = Temp of substance entering the cold branch
- Observed in domestic animals - Deep blood vessel systems

Influence of age on body temperature
- High temp in young animals - Higher BMR
- Thermoneutral zone becomes narrower as age increases

Thermoneutral zone
Value where animals consume the least amount of oxygen
Heat balance
- Occurs in normal conditions
- Total body heat (Ht) divided into:
- Produced heat
- Hm (Metabolic)
- Hs (Chemical)
- Exchanged heat
- Hc (Convection)
- Hr (Radiation)
- He (Evaporation)
- Produced heat































