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Tracheaes Research Paper

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Insects transport gases throughout their bodies through a system of branching tubes called tracheae which then branch off into tiny fluid lined tubes called tracheoles. Gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide, enter and exit the tracheae through paired openings called spiracles. These spiracles have filtering devices such as fine hairs, which prevent tiny particles from clogging the gas exchange system. Spiracles also consist of valves that control the degree to which the spiracles are open.
The gases pass through the tracheae and the tracheoles, which are permeable to both fluid and respiratory gases. These respiratory gases dissolve into this fluid and then diffuse inwards and outwards of the respiring tissues down their concentration gradient. …show more content…

Preventing the loss of water will ensure that gas exchange remains moist as it is required for efficient gas exchange. Another adaptation that insects have is the structural adaptation where their tracheae are highly branched to help increase the surface are to volume ratio. When the surface area to volume ratio is increased it becomes larger and this makes their gas exchange more efficient as it is a requirement of a gas exchange membrane. Insects have another structural adaptation where they have thin tracheoles. By having thin walls respiratory gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide can dissolve into the fluid and diffuse easily into the surrounding tissues. The surface of the insects tracheal tubes are lined with chitin in a spiral fold. Chitin, also known as taenidia, is a strong and light-weight material which acts as a reinforcing wire that keeps the insect's airways open while the body moves and allows some flexibility. Having chitin present in an insect's gas exchange membrane ensures that their gas exchange surface is well ventilated and that their concentration gradient is maintained. Gas exchange could be prevented without the taenidia as external forces such as body movements or gravity would compress the …show more content…

Generally, fish are ectothermic and have a streamlined body to swim rapidly. Fish usually consist of scales that surround their body, one or two dorsal fins, a tail fin and an anal fin, two sets of paired fins and jaws. Many different kinds of fish live in a freshwater, aquatic habitat such as lakes, rivers and the ocean. The water that fish live in has a low concentration of oxygen and is more viscous than air. The amount of dissolved oxygen in a volume of water is much less than in the same volume of air. Air is 21% oxygen but in water, dissolved oxygen is about 1% by volume. Considering this, fish must have an efficient gas exchange membrane to live. (discuss this

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