Carbon Dioxide Measurements in Ectotherms and Endotherms at Varying Temperatures

Abstract

Metabolic rates across all organisms can vastly differ. With the assistance of experimentation, one aims to distinguish easily between both ectotherms and endotherms. Essentially, one can admit each an ectotherm and an endotherm for metabolic measurement. Placement of each organism inside of a respiration chamber and measuring the carbon dioxide at differing temperatures will give clear information of each group’s respiration rate. We found that as the temperature rose both of the experimented ectotherms increased their respiration rate, this could be observed with the measured levels of carbon dioxide given off by these organisms. Transversely, the endotherm used effectively lowered its respiration rate throughout the varying trials. One could conclude that ectotherms and their metabolic pathways accelerate with the increase in temperature. The increase in temperature allows for optimal internal regulation conditions of these ectotherms. The increase in temperature, however, in the endotherm decreased respiration. Since the endotherm needs a controlled internal body temperature to optimize metabolism, it effectively decreased its respiration rate in order to control its internal temperature.