NORTHERN FENCE LIZARDS GAS EXCHANGE MECHANISM/RESPIRATORY FACTS
OXYGEN BASICS:
All organisms that have lungs rely on oxygen in order to survive. Moreover, oxygen is the basic necessity for organisms with lungs because it factors cellular respiration, the process which generates an organisms’ energy. When taking in oxygen, and then releasing the C02, organisms interact with their environment. The Northern Fence Lizard, in specific, exchanges gases with its environment by inhaling oxygen, and exhaling carbon dioxide, similar to most mammals and birds. THE NFL AND HOW IT EXCHANGES/RELIES ON OXYGEN: The primary purpose for in taking oxygen is to perform cellular respiration/energy to produce ATP. This process in turn provides lizards cells with the energy they rely on in order to work. The cellular respiration process in lizards is similar to the one humans/mammals exhibit, in which glucose is used to make ATP. Relevantly, lizards circulatory, digestive, and respiratory systems all contribute in the production of energy. Although the exchange of gases between humans and lizards are similar, unlike mammals, lizards “spinal movement during motion is not like the dorsoventral undulation” in humans. Since lizards “backbones move from side to side, instead of up and down like mammals” they on the other hand exhibit mediolateral undulation when breathing, in which their backbones shift left to right in order to breath. Also, dissimilar to humans, the NFL does not have a diaphragm, the muscle which contracts in order to help humans’ breath. Lizards, on the contrary, breath by relying on the movement of their stomach, throat, and rib cage. HOW OXYGEN IS USED TO MAKE ATP: I- The lizard breathes the oxygen in the air of the atmosphere with its nostrils. II- Before reaching the lungs, the oxygen goes through "the bronchial tubes to tiny air sacs". III- After reaching the lungs, the oxygen goes to the alevoli, the site of cellular respiration in lizards. IV- Then, the oxygen diffuses in through the aleovi from the the lung into the blood from high to low concentration. V- Cellular respiration occurs in the mitochondria in the cells of the lizard. As this is happening, the second bond in ATP is broken to release the energy to the cell/lizard. VI- "through the same route which oxygen entered", C02 is released. RANDOM FACTS: -"SOME LIZARDS CAN BREATH THROUGH THE MEMBRANES IN THEIR MOUTHS'" -ATP OCCURS SLOWER IN LIZARDS BECAUSE THEY ARE COLD BLOODED REPTILES, AND THEIR BLOOD TEMPERATURE DOES NOT ENABLE DIFFUSION AND CELLULAR RESPIRATION TO OCCUR AS FAST AS THE PROCESS IN HUMANS. http://www.ehow.com/about_7222342_do-reptiles-obtain-oxygen_.html http://bio.edu.ee/animals/Roomajad/roalgus.htm http://www.helium.com/items/949899-how-reptiles-breathe http://www.kidport.com/reflib/science/animals/reptiles.htm |
Regulation:
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