Unit 2 k.a 4

• Metabolism


  The chemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life
• Conformers


  • Adapt and conform to the external environment
• Regulators


  • Can maintain/regulate their metabolic rate
• Abiotic factors affecting metabolism

  • Temperature
  • Salinity (salt levels)
  • pH
• Conformers


  • Use behavioural responses to maintain their optimum metabolic rate
  • Have low metabolic costs and a narrow range of ecological niches
  • Tend to be found in stable environments
• Regulators


  • Use metabolism to control their internal environment
  • Increase the range of ecological niches
  • Not dependent on abiotic factors in their environment
• Regulation by regulators


  Requires energy to achieve homeostasis
• Regulation by regulators


  Increases metabolic costs
• Thermoregulation


  1. Hypothalamus monitors temperature

  2. Electrical impulses communicated to effectors

  3. Corrective responses to return temperatures to normal
• Response to increase in body temperature

  • Sweating
  • Vasodilation
  • Decrease in metabolic rate
• Response to decrease in body temperature

  • Shivering
  • Vasoconstriction
  • Hair erector muscles contract
  • Increase metabolic rate
• Regulating body temperature is important for optimum enzyme activity and allows high diffusion rates