Animal physiology

Animal Physiology

Introduction to Animal Physiology

Animal Physiology pertains to the study of the physical and biochemical processes that occur within animal bodies.
Understanding these mechanisms elucidates how specific physical or chemical activities can influence an animal’s structure, behaviour, and overall survival.

Types of Animal Body Processes

There are numerous processes that take place in the animal body, some of them include respiration, nutrition and digestion, excretion, osmoregulation, reproduction, and locomotion.

Respiration in Animals

Respiration in animals entails the process of breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.
It is categorised into aerobic (requires oxygen) and anaerobic respiration (can occur without oxygen).
Animals get oxygen from the environment through their respiratory organs, such as lungs in mammals, gills in fish, and spiracles in insects.

Nutrition and Digestion

Nutrition is the process of obtaining food and utilising it for energy, growth, and cellular repair.
Digestion is the breakdown of complex food particles into simpler molecules that can be easily absorbed and used by the body.
Animal digestion can be carnivorous (meat-based diet), herbivorous (plant-based diet), or omnivorous (both meat and plants diet).

Excretion and Osmoregulation

Excretion is the process where waste materials, often metabolic byproducts, are eliminated from the body.
It is critical for maintaining homeostasis — a stable internal environment.
Osmoregulation deals with the regulation of water and electrolyte concentration in body fluids, main organs involved are kidneys, skin, lungs, and liver.

Animal Reproduction

Reproduction is the biological process through which an animal produces offspring.
Two primary modes of reproduction are sexual (involving sperm and egg) and asexual (without the involvement of sperm and egg).
Organisms may also exhibit hermaphroditism, possessing both male and female reproductive organs.

Locomotion in Animals

Locomotion is the ability of an animal to move from one location to another.
Types of locomotion include walking, running, swimming, flying, hopping, etc., mainly depending upon the animal’s habitat and body structure.

The Nervous System and Behaviour

The nervous system plays a crucial role in an animal’s interactions with its environment.
It functions by transmitting signals between different parts of the body, helping react to external stimuli and regulate behaviour.
The complexity of the nervous system varies across animal species, with the human brain being the most complex.

Endocrinology

Endocrinology is the study of the body’s hormone producing glands and their roles in physiology.
Hormones act as chemical messengers that regulate various metabolic and physiological functions in the body.
Some of the major glands include the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, pancreas, and the gonads.

Importance of Animal Physiology

Understanding animal physiology allows insights into their metabolic processes, adaptations, behaviours, and how these elements interact with the environment.
It aids in enhancing animal health and agricultural productivity, animal conservation, and ultimately human health.