C. Characteristics of a Good Metabolic Regulator 1. Very high metabolic rate, which in turn requires plenty of food and oxygen 2. Ability to reduce heat loss. Decrease heat loss due to conduction by trapping air next to body and using fat for insulation. Decrease heat loss due to convection c. Decrease heat loss due to radiation to environment 3.
Animal can overheat, but generally they have an elaborate mechanism for heat loss.
In order to keep temperature constant, heat gain from any source must equal heat loss. Heat loss occurs through passive diffusion and has the following requirements gradient. Conversely, heat loss as above must equal heat gain from other sources. D. Problems of Thermoregulation 1. Graph showing relationship between ambient temperature and metabolic rate.