2022•Animal PhysiologyRequires access
Thermal Relations
Richard W. Hill, Daniel J. Cavanaugh, Margaret Anderson
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Abstract
This chapter tackles the concept of thermal relations. It enumerates the key concepts related to the thermal reactions of animals: endothermy, thermoregulation, ectotherms, endotherms, homeotherm, and heterothermy. Temperature primarily refers to a measure of the speed of incessant random motions of molecules, while heat, in comparison, is merely a form of energy that a substance poses by virtue of random motions. The chapter then looks into the influence of temperature in fish and the impact of endothermy and homeothermy on insects. It mentions how endothermy can provide organisms with distinct advantages and evolve independently in animals and some plants multiple times.