ANSC 2340 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Thermoregulation, Mirabilis Jalapa, Desiccation
3 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
As with organisms in all environments, arctic plants and animals must be able to carry out critical metabolic processes, exchange materials with their environment, and maintain physiological parameters within a limited range. Organisms must also balance the ion composition of their internal fluids. Ions are obtained from food or directly from the environment (especially in aquatic animals). The rate of exchange depends on the membrane surface area. The amount of substances that must be exchanged depends on the volume of the. The fluid surrounding cells is called the interstitial fluid. Complex animals must also have a circulatory fluid that carries gases, wastes, and nutrients to the interstitial fluid. As well, respiratory systems and digestive systems have direct contact with the external environment. To varying degrees, animals maintain relatively constant internal conditions in the face of a fluctuating external environment, a process known ashomeostasis.
