BIS 2B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Thermoregulation, Melanin, Cannibalism

• School: UC-Davis
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BIS 2B
• Professor: Mark Schwartz; Sharon Strauss

Document Summary

So continuing from unit 3 about ectotherms and endotherms, we now discuss why it"s important to maintain body temperature. The shape of the enzyme depends on the temperature. When enzyme gets too warm they become stretched out, too cold and they get too tight. In extreme temperature, they lose their shape completely (denature=death of organisms) When enzymes are at the right temperature, they have the right shape can can carry out chemical reactions at optimal rate. Ex: the enzyme responsible for melanin (dark color production), is thermolabile. It can"t function at body temperature but is optimal at cooler temperature. Thus, dark pigments is limited to the coldest areas of the body. A species life history is how, when and where life cycle events occur. Developmental pattern - 2 types: direct vs indirect. Juvenile forms emerges out of the egg or mother in adult form. Involves a larval stage and then a metamorphosis into adult.