Thermoregulation and Species' Adaptation

Abstract

Thermoregulation is the process that allows organisms’ bodies maintain its core temperature when affected by environmental temperatures. When organisms have even internal temperature, it is called homeostasis. Badgers are a good example of organisms that thermoregulate because they move and adapt to their environments. Clay was used as a representation of organisms having different surface area to volume ratios. This helped to show the relationship of how heat is gained and lost depending on those ratios. Clay was used instead of live animals because of the temperaments of animals and using the temperature probes on them. The results were that the clay with the larger surface area to volume lost heat faster than the clay with the smaller surface area to volume ratio.