Resource Acquisition and Transport in Animals

This set of flashcards covers key concepts regarding animal nutrition, digestion, respiratory systems, and circulatory systems as outlined in Lecture 9.1.

What is the definition of nutrition in animals?

Nutrition is the process of taking large food items in, breaking them apart, and then absorbing them into the body.

What are the four stages of food processing in animals?

The four stages are ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination.

Explain why animals need to feed.

Animals need to feed to supply their bodies with chemical energy, organic molecules, and essential nutrients.

What are essential nutrients?

Essential nutrients are materials that animals cannot synthesize from simpler organic precursors, including certain amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

What is the main difference between open and closed circulatory systems?

In an open circulatory system, the fluid (hemolymph) bathes body cells directly, while in a closed circulatory system, the fluid (blood) is confined to vessels and is separate from interstitial fluid.

What adaptations do animals have for storing food when intake is less than needed?

Animals may have adaptations that reduce cellular respiration and biosynthesis during predictable long-term periods of limited food supply, such as hibernation.

Describe the process of gas exchange in animals.

Gas exchange occurs at the cellular level where oxygen and nutrients enter cells, and carbon dioxide and waste products are released.

What are the primary respiratory organs for gas exchange in mammals?

Lungs are the primary respiratory organs for gas exchange in mammals.

What is the role of the small intestine in digestion and absorption?

The small intestine is the major site for chemical digestion and nutrient absorption due to its large surface area.

What is partial autotrophy?

Partial autotrophy is a mode of nutrition where certain invertebrates engage in mutualistic symbiosis with photosynthetic protists.

What is the difference between mechanical and chemical digestion?

Mechanical digestion involves the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces, while chemical digestion uses enzymes to break down polymers into smaller molecules.

What are the three basic components of a circulatory system?

Every circulatory system has a circulatory fluid, a set of interconnecting vessels, and a muscular pump, such as a heart.

Define the process of intracellular digestion.

Intracellular digestion is the hydrolysis of food inside vacuoles after a cell engulfs food through phagocytosis or pinocytosis.

What is the primary role of the stomach in the mammalian digestive system?

The stomach serves to store food and initiate the chemical digestion of proteins.

Describe the function of peristalsis.

Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of smooth muscles in the wall of the alimentary canal which moves food along the tract.

What is the main function of the large intestine or colon?

The primary function of the colon is the reabsorption of water from the digestive tract.

Define double circulation in vertebrates.

Double circulation is a system where blood flows through two distinct circuits: the pulmonary circuit (to the lungs) and the systemic circuit (to the body).

What is the function of alveoli in the respiratory system?

Alveoli are small air sacs in the lungs where the actual gas exchange between the air and the blood takes place.

What is the primary function of hemoglobin?

Hemoglobin is a respiratory pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the circulatory system.

What is a gastrovascular cavity?

A gastrovascular cavity is a central digestive compartment with a single opening that functions in both digestion and nutrient distribution.