Hot Tamale and Ice Ice Baby: Metabolic Rate Changes of Endotherms and Ectotherms at Different Temperatures

Abstract

All animals have a thermoneutral zone at which their metabolic rates stay consistent. When environmental temperatures heat or cool past those comfortable temperature limits of the thermoneutral zone, metabolic rates begin to increase. With the presence of heating and cooling in our experiment, we are observing the change in metabolic rate through measuring carbon dioxide production. Endotherms have a higher increase in metabolic rate than ectotherms due to the surface-to-volume ratio, therefore body mass is also a factor in the amount of carbon dioxide produced.