How is endothermy advantageous to humans?

Answer 1

Endotherms can use metabolic heat to regulate their body temperature. In a cold environment an endotherms high metabolic rate can generate enough heat to keep its body substantially warmer than its surroundings. We as humans are endotherms, and are able to maintain a high and very stable ingternal temperature. This is a huge advantage over ectotherms because they must gain most of their heat from the environment. Remember it is the source of heat that classify an animal endotherm or ectotherm. Mammals, birds, and some reptile and fish are endotherms. So, a couple of important advantages of being endotherms is the ability to generate a lot of heat metabolically, and able to adapt to biochemical and physiological adaptations like an elaborate circulatory and respiratory system that enable endotherms to perform vigorous activities for a longer period of time. Gennerally though endotherms need to consume more food than ectotherms to maintain their metabolic rate.

Answer 2

- can maintain relatively constant body temperature so enzymes etc can specialise to function at a certain temperature. - can invade colder environments than ectotherm because they can increase their body temperature.

Answer 3

The most obvious advantage is the fact that ectotherms do not need to eat regularly to warm their bodies. The food they do eat and convert into energy can be put to better use or even stored for a later use.

Answer 4

Homeostasis is basically the perfect conditions within the body. And similar to an engine, the body will run at top performance if it within an certain temperature range--not too hot, not too cold. All animals have what is called a tolerance curve, this is the range of a bodily function and how well it is able to act under different temperatures. Be being endothermic (giving off heat) animals are able to raise their body temperatures, thus allowing them to preform better. In human terms, think about going outside on a very cold day and running; because your muscles are cold they do not perform their best, you run slower and get cramps. But if you have a slow warm up and you are shivering (a behavioral response to keep warm) your muscles will be warm and you will be able to run better.

Answer 5

Because humans are able to regulate their own body temperatures , which means we are able to live in many different environments.

Answer 6

the organism maintains the same body temperature. Therefore, enviornmental temperature doesn't affect its body temperature.