dot point 1.3.8 (1 Viewer)

[melati]

can anyone explain the second bit of this dot point?

define enantiostasis as the maintenance of metabolic and physiological functions in response to variations in the environment and discuss its importance to estuarine organisms in maintaining appropriate salt concentrations

thanks

 

[~TeLEpAtHeTiC~]

Enantiostatis is the maintenance of metabolic and physiological functions in response to variations in the environment, all organisms living in an estuarine environment experience large fluctuations in salt concentrations in their environment over a relatively short time span, with the tidal movements and mixing of fresh water and salt water. organisms that must tolerate wide fluctuations of salinity are said to be auryhaline
One strategy to withstand such change in salt concentrations is to allow the bodys osmotic pressure to vary with that of the environment. Organisms that do this, are and therefore, do not maintain homeostasis are said to be osmoconformers. Most marine invertebrates are osmoconformers
In contrast, marine mammals and most fish are osmoregulators, maintaining homeostasis regardless of the osmotic pressure of the environment. However as the salt concentration of body fluids in osmoconformers changes, various bodily functions are affected, such as the activity of enzymes. For normal body functioning to be maintained another body function must be changed in a way that compensates for the change in enzyme activity. One example of enantiostasis is when salt concentration is changed in the body fluid, which reduced the efficiency of an enzyme, to compensate for this change; pH is increased to boost the efficiency of the enzyme.

 

[kimmeh]

The ability to maintain metabolic and physiological functions in response to variations in the environment is called enantiostasis. It is applicable to any organisms living in estuarine ecosystems, especially mangroves.
All organisms living in an estuary experience large changes in salt concentration in their environment over a relatively short time span, with the tidal movement and mixing of fresh and salt water. Organisms that must tolerate wide fluctuations of salinity are said to be euryhaline.
One strategy to withstand such changes in salt concentration is to allow the body's osmotic pressure to vary with that of the environment. Organisms that do this, and therefore do not maintain homeostasis, are said to be osmoconformers. Most marine invertebrates are osmoconformers. In contrast, marine mammals and most fish are osmoregulators, maintaining homeostasis regardless of the osmotic pressure of the environment.
However, as the salt concentration of body fluids in an osmoconformer changes, various body functions are affected, such as the activity of enzymes. For normal functioning to be maintained, another body function must be changed in a way that compensates for the change in enzyme activity.
One example of enantiostasis is when a change in salt concentration in the body fluid, which reduces the efficiency of an enzyme, is compensated for by a change in pH, which increases the efficiency of the same enzyme

 

[~TeLEpAtHeTiC~]

*cough* ???? kimmeh

 

[xiao1985]

lolz, the darn "key" verbs... here's one explanation: (still can't remember it after the hsc)

discuss: identify issues and provide pts for and/or against...

no idea wut it means but... lolz, many sample answers already, but lemme try an other one:

enantiostasis is the maintainance of physiological functions when ambient environment vary drastically. this function is important for estuarine organisms as at estuarine area, salt concentration can vary drastically depending on the tide and amount of run off. at times of varying salt concentration, it adjusts so that water and salt concentration with in the organism is relatively optimum.

eg (optional to the dot pt... but healthie to know) mangroves utilise enantiostasis to regulate relative stable water and salt concentration with in the organism. during high ambient salt concentration, the mangroves do:

exclusion: the roost of mangrove intake water but exclude most of the salt from water out of the organism....
secretion: some of the excessive salt is secreted on the underside of the mangrove leaves
accumulation: remaining excessive salt is accumulated in older leaves or barks... then the accumulated site is dislocated from the mangrove. bringing the excessive salt with them

at times of lower ambient salt concentration, mangrove's salt glands become less active.

 

[kimmeh]

Originally posted by ~TeLEpAtHeTiC~
*cough* ???? kimmeh

! sorry tele! i didnt realise they were excalt the same!
/me begs for forgiveness
i think i should re summarise that dot point then

 

[~TeLEpAtHeTiC~]

lol its ok

 

[melati]

thanks heaps