Textbook Question
Explain why most endotherms are homeothermic and most ectotherms are poikilothermic.
Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life13
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life14
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function10
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells11
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation11
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis12
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions12
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle8
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis12
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene23
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair15
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work16
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria16
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes12
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers15
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution12
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection16
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea15
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes16
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants16
- Ch. 29 - Fungi18
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals15
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals17
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function17
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology15
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology17
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology18
Chapter 39, Problem 6
The metabolic rate of a frog in summer (at 35°C) is about eight times higher than in winter (at 5°C). Compare and contrast the frog's ability to move, exchange gases, and digest food at the two temperatures.
During which season will the frog require more food energy, and why?
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that metabolic rate refers to the rate at which an organism converts food into energy. A higher metabolic rate means more energy is being used for bodily functions.
Recognize that temperature affects metabolic rate in ectotherms like frogs. At 35°C, the frog's metabolic rate is higher, meaning it will have more energy available for activities such as movement, gas exchange, and digestion.
Compare the frog's ability to move at different temperatures: At 35°C, the frog will be more active and capable of faster movements due to the higher metabolic rate. At 5°C, the frog's movements will be slower and more lethargic.
Analyze gas exchange: At 35°C, the frog's increased metabolic rate will enhance its respiratory rate, allowing for more efficient gas exchange. At 5°C, the reduced metabolic rate will slow down respiration, making gas exchange less efficient.
Determine food energy requirements: During summer at 35°C, the frog will require more food energy to sustain its higher metabolic rate and increased activity levels. In winter at 5°C, the frog's lower metabolic rate means it requires less food energy.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Metabolic Rate
Metabolic rate refers to the amount of energy expended by an organism to maintain its bodily functions. In frogs, metabolic rate increases with temperature, meaning that at 35°C, the frog's metabolic processes are faster, requiring more energy compared to 5°C. This affects the frog's ability to move, exchange gases, and digest food efficiently.
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Metabolic Rate
Temperature Regulation in Ectotherms
Frogs are ectotherms, meaning their body temperature and metabolic processes are influenced by external temperatures. At higher temperatures, such as in summer, frogs experience increased enzyme activity, enhancing movement, gas exchange, and digestion. Conversely, in winter, lower temperatures slow these processes, reducing energy needs but also limiting activity.
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Energy Requirements
Energy requirements in frogs are directly linked to their metabolic rate. In summer, when the metabolic rate is higher, frogs need more food energy to sustain increased activity levels and physiological processes. In winter, the lower metabolic rate means frogs require less food energy, as their bodily functions and movements are reduced.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Which of the following statements regarding surface area and volume in animals are correct? Select True or False for each statement.
T/FAs an animal grows, its volume increases more rapidly than its surface area.
T/FA chihuahua has a higher surface area to volume ratio than a Great Dane.
T/FAnimals with high surface area to volume ratios heat and cool more slowly than animals with lower surface area to volume ratios.
T/FAs an animal's volume increases, its total surface area decreases.
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Textbook Question
Which of the following is an advantage that ectotherms have over endotherms of the same size?
a. They require much less food.
b. They are less vulnerable to predation during cold weather.
c. They can remain active in cold weather or on cold nights.
d. They have higher metabolic rates and grow more quickly.
Textbook Question
For each of the following, explain how structure relates to function:
absorptive sections of the digestive tract;
capillaries;
beaks of Galápagos finches;
fish gills.
Textbook Question
Consider three spheres with radii of 1 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm.
Calculate the surface area and the volume of each sphere, and plot the results on a graph with radius on the x-axis and surface area and volume on the y-axis. (Surface area of a sphere = 4πr2; volume of a sphere = (4/3)πr3.)
Explain how the graph shows the relationship between size and surface area to volume ratio.