Respiratory systems and gas exchang

• Features of efficient gas exchange surfaces

  • Large SA:Vol ratio
  • moist - gases need to dissolve first
  • gas crossing the surface is maintained at a high concentration on one side
  • effective delivery + removal system
• Other factors that affect type of respiratory surface

  • size of organism, smaller organisms require smaller systems
  • habitat
  • metabolic demands, more active animals need larger gas exchange surfaces