Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

These flashcards cover critical vocabulary related to animal form and function, encapsulating key concepts from the lecture notes.

Cellular exchanges with the environment

The process by which substances move in and out of cells to maintain homeostasis.

Hierarchy of body plans

The organization of life from cells to tissues to organs to organ systems.

Epithelial tissue

Tissue that serves as a covering or barrier of body surfaces.

Connective tissue

Tissue that supports, connects, and protects other tissues and organs.

Muscle tissue

Tissue responsible for body movement.

Nervous tissue

Tissue that receives, processes, and transmits information.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment in an organism.

Thermoregulation

The process by which animals regulate their internal body temperature.

Metabolic rate

The amount of energy an animal uses in a unit of time.

Adaptations

Changes in form or function that help an organism survive in its environment.

Buoyancy

The ability of an organism to float or rise in a fluid environment.

Osmosis

The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Diffusion

The movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Interstitial fluid

Fluid that surrounds and bathes cells in multicellular organisms.

Set point

The desired value for a physiological variable that the body tries to maintain.

Stimulus

A change in the environment that elicits a physiological response.

Sensor

A receptor that detects change in the environment.

Response

The action taken by the body to restore balance or homeostasis.

Negative feedback

A control mechanism that counteracts a change, returning a variable back to its set point.

Positive feedback

A control mechanism that amplifies a stimulus, enhancing the process.

Acclimatization

A temporary adjustment of an organism to its environment.

Endothermic

Organisms that generate most of their heat through metabolism.

Ectothermic

Organisms that obtain heat primarily from the external environment.

Homeotherm

An organism that maintains a relatively constant body temperature.

Poikilotherm

An organism whose body temperature varies with the environment.

Thermogenesis

The generation of heat by metabolic processes.

Vasodilation

Widening of blood vessels to increase blood flow and heat dissipation.

Vasoconstriction

Narrowing of blood vessels to preserve heat.

Countercurrent exchange

A heat transfer mechanism to minimize heat loss.

Radiation

The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves.

Evaporation

The process of a liquid turning into vapor, which cools the surface.

Conduction

Transfer of heat through direct contact between materials.

Convection

Transfer of heat by the movement of air or liquid.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

The rate of energy expenditure at rest in endothermic animals.

Standard metabolic rate (SMR)

The metabolic rate of ectothermic animals at a specific temperature.

Energy allocation

The distribution of energy within an organism to maintain functions.

Torpor

A state of decreased physiological activity to conserve energy.

Hibernation

A prolonged state of torpor to survive unfavorable environmental conditions.