In an ecosystem, the transfer of energy decreases from one trophic to the next trophic level. Ecological efficiency is the efficiency with which energy is transferred. It is determined by efficiencies of different processes, like harvesting food, assimilating ingested energy, and production of new biomass.

Question

You are studying a large tropical reptile that has a high and relatively stable body temperature. How do you determine whether this animal is an endotherm or an ectotherm? (A) You know from its high and stable body temperature that it must be an endotherm. (B) You subject this reptile to various temperatures in the lab and find that its body temperature and metabolic rate change with the ambient temperature. You conclude that it is an ectotherm. (C) You note that its environment has a high and stable temperature. Because its body temperature matches the environmental temperature, you conclude that it is an ectotherm. (D) You measure the metabolic rate of the reptile, and because it is higher than that of a related species that lives in temperate forests, you conclude that this reptile is an endotherm and its relative is an ectotherm.

Answer 1

Question

Chapter 54, Problem 8TYK

Summary Introduction

Introduction:

In an ecosystem, the transfer of energy decreases from one trophic to the next trophic level. Ecological efficiency is the efficiency with which energy is transferred. It is determined by efficiencies of different processes, like harvesting food, assimilating ingested energy, and production of new biomass.

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You are studying a large tropical reptile that has a high and relatively stable body temperature. How do you determine whether this animal is an endotherm or an ectotherm? (A) You know from its high and stable body temperature that it must be an endotherm. (B) You subject this reptile to various temperatures in the lab and find that its body temperature and metabolic rate change with the ambient temperature. You conclude that it is an ectotherm. (C) You note that its environment has a high and stable temperature. Because its body temperature matches the environmental temperature, you conclude that it is an ectotherm. (D) You measure the metabolic rate of the reptile, and because it is higher than that of a related species that lives in temperate forests, you conclude that this reptile is an endotherm and its relative is an ectotherm.

Animals that exhibit endothermy usually: Group of answer choices A. can consume less food per unit of body mass than ectotherms, for survival. B. can be active across a wider range of environmental temperatures than ectotherms. C. spend a greater proportion of their energy budget than ectotherms on growth and reproduction. D. A and B E. A, B, and C

Ectotherms cannot be considered homeotherms, since they do not use mechanisms to keep their internal body temperatures at a constant temperature. A. True B. False