Homeostasis and Thermoregulation

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to homeostasis and thermoregulation in animals.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a dynamic equilibrium in the body, where internal conditions are kept within tolerable ranges.

Thermoregulation

The process by which animals regulate their body temperature to maintain homeostasis.

Countercurrent exchange

A mechanism that conserves heat in animals by arranging blood vessels in a way that warm blood warms cool blood returning from extremities.

Negative feedback

A homeostatic control mechanism whereby a change in a variable triggers responses that counteract the initial change.

Homeotherm

An organism that maintains a constant body temperature regardless of external conditions.

Poikilotherm

An organism whose body temperature varies with the temperature of the environment.

Thermoneutral zone (TNZ)

The range of environmental temperatures over which the metabolic rate of a homeotherm does not change.

Sensor

A component of a homeostatic system that detects changes in the environment, such as temperature.

Integrator

The component that evaluates sensory information and determines if a response is needed to maintain homeostasis.

Effector

The part of a homeostatic system that performs the response to restore balance in the body.

Conduction

The direct transfer of heat between two physical bodies that are in contact.

Convection

The exchange of heat between a solid and a moving liquid or gas.

Radiation

The transfer of heat between two objects that are not in direct contact.

Evaporation

The process of a liquid turning into a gas, leading to heat loss.

Hibernation

A long-term state of low body temperature and activity that some animals enter to cope with cold environments.

Behavioral thermoregulation

Adjusting body temperature by altering behavior, such as seeking shade or sun.

Epithelial tissue

Tissue that serves as an interface between internal and external environments, playing a role in homeostasis.