“Organisms may be conformers or regulators.” Explain this statement and give one example of each.

Question

a. “Organisms may be conformers or regulators.” Explain this statement and give one example of each. 

b. Why are there more conformers than regulators in the animal world?

Answer 1

a. Conformers are organisms which cannot maintain a constant internal environment under varying external environmental conditions. They change body temperature and osmotic concentration with change in external environment. 

For example, all plants, fishes, amphibians etc. Regulators are organisms which can maintain homoeostasis (by physiological means or behavioural means) i.e., they maintain constant body temperature and osmotic concentration. 

For example, birds and mammals. 

b. Thermoregulation is energetically expensive for animals. Therefore, more conformers are found.