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9.1 – Interpreting External Cues
9.1. Explain various external cues and their relevance for animal internal balance.
The endocrine system plays a role in growth, metabolism, and sexual development. For animals, the endocrine system controls many of its bodily processes through the production, secretion, and regulation of hormones. Hormones serve as chemical “messengers” functioning in both cellular and organ activity and, ultimately, maintaining the body’s homeostasis. In humans, common endocrine system diseases include thyroid disease and diabetes mellitus. The endocrine system plays a role in controlling the physical development of organisms that undergo metamorphosis. For example, the transformation from tadpole to frog is complex and nuanced to adapt to specific environments and ecological circumstances (Figure 9.1). The endocrine system also plays an important role in the timing of migration in animals that live in different regions in summer than in winter.
Figure 9.1. The process of amphibian metamorphosis, as seen in the tadpole-to-frog stages shown here, is driven by hormones. (credit “tadpole”: modification of work by Brian Gratwicke).
Here is an article summarizing animal migration. This article may help you with the Question 9.1 below and will provide an introduction how important the timing of environmental cues is important for animal life cycle.
Question 9.1
How does interpretation of external environment impact animal survival or internal environment? Provide at least one example.
