Ecological adaptation in animals to aquatic environment, Biology

Assignment Help:

Ecological adaptation in animals to aquatic environment

In the aquatic environment animals are confronted with the problem of excess water. Freshwater and marine animals try to maintain water balance in quite different ways. On account of the difference in the osmotic pressure between body fluids of aquatic organisms and their surrounding fluids aquatic organisms have developed osmoregulatory mechanism to deal with this problem. The salt content to the body fluids in freshwater animals is relatively high as compared to the surrounding water medium. Hence, the water tends to diffuse continuously into the body. Extra water from the body needs to be removed frequently. Most aquatic animals (e.g. protozoans and fishes) excrete the extra amount of water from the body by osmoregulation. Protozoa employ contractile vacuoles and other multicellular invertebrates and chordates use excretory organs such as nephridia and kidney (Figure shown below).

2251_fish adaptations.jpg

In marine animals the situation is just the opposite. The concentration of salts in the body fluids is low as compared to the surrounding medium (i.e. hypotonic). Under these conditions the body tends to loose water. But through metabolic osmoregulation water is retained in the body and salt is excreted. Animals vary widely in their salinity tolerance. Organisms which have a narrow tolerance and cannot withstand salinity fluctuation are called stemhaline. Organisms which can survive under a wide range of salinity conditions are termed euryhaliie. Usually animals inhabiting cooler fresh water and marine environments tend to have large body size except in a few cases such as diatoms and sea urchins which have relatively larger sizes in warmer waters.

 


Related Discussions:- Ecological adaptation in animals to aquatic environment

Tree, what is a seed?

what is a seed?

Define food sources of calcium, Define Food Sources of Calcium? Dairy p...

Define Food Sources of Calcium? Dairy products are of course the primary source of calcium followed by grains and pulses. Among the millets, ragi contains substantial amount of

After the blastula stage what is the next stage, Q. After the blastula stag...

Q. After the blastula stage what is the following stage of the embryonic development? What is the passage from blastula to the next stage called? The blastula turns into gastru

Determine about the open head injuries, Open Head Injuries Open head in...

Open Head Injuries Open head injuries are TBIs in which the skull is penetrated, as in gun shot or missile wounds, or in which fragment of bone penetrate the brain substance. O

What is the clitellum of earthtworms and where it is located, What is the c...

What is the clitellum of earthtworms and where it is located? The clitellum is a special region of the annelid constituted by rings (metameres) with reproductive function. It c

What are the applications of nicotinic acid, What are the Applications of N...

What are the Applications of Nicotinic acid Nicotinic acid is mainly used in the vitamin fortification of flour, macaroni and noodle products. Independent of its vitamin effic

Obelia, what are the economic importance of obelia?

what are the economic importance of obelia?

Define muscular strength component for physical fitness, Define Muscular st...

Define Muscular strength component for physical fitness? It is the ability of a muscle to exert force for a brief period of time. Upper-body strength, for example, can be measu

Class pycnogonida of phylum arthropoda, Class Pycnogonida of Phylum Arthrop...

Class Pycnogonida of Phylum Arthropoda Measures generally 3-4 mm; body chiefly made up of cephalothorax, abdomen being very small; generally four pairs of walking legs; long p

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd