The Evolution Of Respiratory Systems

Pill bugs, Armadillidium vulgare, are terrestrial isopods [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Thus, they are not very well adapted to land [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Water loss is a reoccurring theme because terrestrial isopods lack “cuticular lipids and the elaborate spiracular apparatus of insects” [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Most of the water loss is evaporation from the respiratory organs [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. The respiratory organs are called pleopods, and are gill-like organs “located on the ventral abdominal segments” [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Interestingly, pill bugs are capable of conglobation, the ability to roll up in a ball [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. In addition to protection from predation, conglobation may also conserve water [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008].

The Respiratory system is responsible for the breathing process. The breathing process entails inhaling and exhaling air in the body, absorption of oxygen from the air to produce energy, and getting rid of the byproduct of the process which is the carbon dioxide. The respiratory system is divided into two tracts; the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract. The following organs are a part of the upper respiratory tract: nose, mouth, pharynx and the larynx. While the lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea, lungs and the bronchial tree including all segments and the alveoli.

Hummingbirds can be characterized by their resilience and their ability of determination. Due to the hummingbirds deceiving size, “The female,

Have you ever wondered just how fast a Hummingbird's wing beats? Or how many times a Hummingbird’s heart beats per minute? Well, I am here to enlighten your bird loving souls. For those of you who don’t know, a Hummingbird’s wing can beat up to 200 times per second, and a Hummingbird’s heart while in flight can beat up to 1,250 times per minute. Special muscles in their “shoulder” areas allow for them to fly in all directions, up, down, left, right you name it. These are just the basic facts, now let’s get into the good stuff.

➢ Inhaled air enters the nasal cavity, where it is cleaned, warmed and humidified on its way through the pharynx.

The respiratory system is a complex organ structure of the human body anatomy, and the primary purpose of this system is to supply the blood with oxygen in order for the blood vessels to carry the precious gaseous element to all parts of the body to accomplish cell respiration. The respiratory system completes this important function of breathing throughout inspiration. In the breathing process inhaling oxygen is essential for cells to metabolize nutrients and carry out some other tasks, but it must occur simultaneously with exhaling when the carbon dioxide is excreted, this exchange of gases is the respiratory system's means of getting oxygen to the blood (McGowan, Jefferies & Turley, 2004).

The complexity of the respiratory system and the physiology behind pulmonary respiration can be considered extraordinary high. Within the single system, individual organs, actions and co-ordinations are culminated to equate in the survival of humans. The respiratory system carries out many roles within the body; control of bodily pH, aid in speech production and olfaction, regulation of blood pressure and promotion of venous and lymphatic flow. Although these function are necessary to optimally function, the exchange of gases from the internal bodily environment to the external bodily environment is the most important function and role of the respiratory system (Martini, Ober, Nath 2011).

* How would you describe the structure and function of this animal’s respiratory system? Include any unique characteristics.

The respiratory system consists of the lungs and air passages. The system functions to bring in air and extract oxygen and remove carbon dioxide*. The body can hold 4 to 6 minutes worth of oxygen so the respiratory system must work at all times to prevent death. There are multiple parts to the respiratory system for example, the nose has nostrils or nares. It contains a nasal septum which divides the nose into hollow spaces called nasal cavities. The nose filters the air with the mucus produced. Also located in the nose are the olfactory receptors, and nasolacrimal ducts. The sinuses which are resonating chambers of cavities located in the skull. A larger part of the respiratory system is the pharynx also known as the throat. It is located directly behind the nasal area, divided into three parts; nasopharynx(upper portion), Oropharynx(middle portion), Laryngopharynx (lower portion). The larynx also known as the “voice box” located between the trachea and pharynx. Trachea also known as the windpipe extends from the larynx to the center of the chest; its functions to carry air between the pharynx and bronchi. The bronchi function to carry air to the lungs. The right bronchus is more vertical, shorter, and wider compared to the left.Bronchi continue to branch off into smaller bronchioles, the smallest is called terminal bronchioles which deliver air to the alveoli. 500 million alveoli, which have a rich network of capillaries needed for exchange of oxygen and CO2( taken place

I have chosen the respiratory system as my body system. It removes the carbon dioxide from the body whilst providing the body with the oxygen that it needs. There are 5 main key processes that the respiratory system control.

In this essay we will consider a few major aspects of respiration. We shall first consider the interesting history of the study of respiration before moving on to our modern understanding of respiration. We will look at the structure and function of the respiratory system including the upper and lower respiratory tracts with a note on the control system. Secondly we will consider the physiology of respiration. Thirdly we will discuss some of the major common disorders and diseases which affect the system with a special focus on asthma. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF RESPIRATION Hippocrates "counted air as an instrument of the body" just as food was eaten. Galen (129-200) felt

The first is that early whales had nostrils located at the rostrum, and as they transitioned back into water, evolution occurred and the nostrils migrated to the top of their head because it was more favorable for underwater life. This allows whales to remain submerged in water while only revealing their nostrils for gas exchange. Additionally, it can be hypothesized that the Odontocetes gave up one blowhole to develop highly modified tissues designed for the production and transmission of echolocation and communication sounds. Right whales (Mysticetes) on the other hand, obtain food through filter feeding, a technique that does not require the same echolocation feature used by dwarf sperm whales for hunting purposes. Therefore, they have no use for highly modified tissues. Natural selection only selects for traits that are beneficial to the organism, and therefore instead of a trade-off between a blowhole and modified tissues, right whales "retain both blowholes and use it primarily for air breathing and perhaps olfaction. Having the two blowholes allow for an increase in airflow, increasing the intake of air in a shorter

The respiratory system, also known as the ventilatory system, is a series of organs found in the human body. The system’s primary function is performing respiration – inhaling oxygen from the environment and exhaling carbon dioxide out of the body (K.M Zimmermann, 2016). Oxygen acts as fuel – without it, the body would be unable to function. Carbon dioxide, the by-product of this process, is breathed out as it is toxic to the human body when it builds up (A.M Helminstine, 2016).

The respiratory system is the process responsible for the transportation and exchange of gases into and out of the human body. As we breath in, oxygen in the air containing oxygen is drawn into the lungs through a series of air pipes known as the airway and into the lungs. As air is drawn into the lungs and waste gas excreted, it passes through the airway, first through the mouth or nose and through the pharynx, larynx and windpipe – also known as the trachea. At this point it then enters the lungs through the bronchi before finally reaching the air sacs known as alveoli. Within the lungs, through a process known as diffusion, the oxygen is transferred to the blood stream through the alveoli (air ducts) where it is then transported inside

The nest is a walnut-size structure of plant down, adorned with lichens, moss and bound with spider webs or fine plant fibers. Nests frequently are built over water. One of the most fascinating things about hummingbirds is their helicopter-like flying stunts. Not only can hummers suspend their bodies in midair, they can also fly backward, upward, even upside down. These maneuvers are possible because of a unique design that allows the wing to move very freely and in almost any direction at the shoulder. Soaring is the only maneuver they cannot perform. Contrary to popular belief, hummingbirds do not hum. The sound is made by their rapid wing movements (50 to 200 beats per