Question: Discuss the need for osmoregulation in animals. Use specific examples.
Answer: All external environments fluctuate frequently. They can be relatively stable with small stochastic changes, or extremely random. So, no matter in which habitat they live, all organisms have to have the ability to survive in changeable circumstances. This is the fundamental basis of homeostasis, the process of maintaining a relatively constant internal environment.
One of the major factors in homeostasis is the process of maintaining a constant osmotic pressure. Osmotic pressure is “the pressure that can potentially be created by osmosis between two solutions separated by a semi-permeable membrane”(Eckert Animal Physiology). This osmotic pressure is effectively the amount of pressure necessary to prevent osmotic flow between two solutions, and so it is important to maintain this value at a constant rate....(short extract)
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- Subject: Biological Sciences
- Course: Zoology
- Level: Degree
- Year: 2nd/3rd
- Mark: 65%
- Words: 2640
- Date submitted: March 13, 2009
- Date written: November, 2003
- References: Yes
- Document type: Essay*
- Essay ID: 971
