Definitions;
Metabolic water
Performed water
- dry seeds = 5 - 10%; insects, meat = 60-70%; pasture = 80-90% and nectar = 80-95%
Classification of Solutes (3)
Molarity (calculation)
Osmolarity - definition
-Osmolarity: Total osmotic activity in a solution as the sum of the individual osmotic activities of all the solutes in the soln.
Nitrogenous Excretions
Nitrogenous excretions; Ammonia
-basics - when produced and what transformed into
Ammonia -> Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages: direct end-product of deanimation of a.a. therefore requires no extra energy
-highly soluble in water
Disadvantages: Very toxic (needs 400ml H2O to dilute each gram)
-must be excreted rapidly or converted to less toxic form
Urea -> Advantages and disadvantages
-where produced
Advantages: -Less toxic than ammonia (10 x less water for storage)
-Highly soluble (can be moderately conc to conserve water)
Disadvantages: -Requires more energy to produce than ammonia
-Fair amount of water needed for its storage and excretion
*produced in the liver
Uric acid (Urate) -> Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages: -Produced in concentrated crystal form (saves water)
-Low toxicity
-Can be stored
Disadvantages: synthesis requires more energy
*important in egg-laying terrestrial vertebrates
Nitrogen Excretion - General rules as to what organisms excrete what
Varies with;
Marine Fish:
-When marine environment has higher osmolarity than fish
Marine fish;
-When fish has about the same osmolarity as external environment
Freshwater vertebrates;
-When osmolarity is higher in fish than environment
Osmoregulation - water balance
Main electrolytes in ECF and in ICF
- Na and Cl are high in the extracellular fluid
The integument in osmositic balance
Amphibian generalisations (H2O control) (3)
-Exceptions
EXCEPTIONS;
Reptiles -> H2O control
Birds -> H2O Control
Mammal behaviour to control H2O loss
Mammals -> EWL
-adaptations to minimise EWL
Faecal water loss in mammals
-urine too