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Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals
All textbooksFreeman 8th EditionCh. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in AnimalsProblem 11
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Chapter 39, Problem 11

Fish and other aquatic organisms are exposed to many types of water pollutants, including metals such as aluminum. Although a low level of aluminum is found in unpolluted water, many lakes and streams have an increased level because of mining, sewage treatment, and accidental spills of toxic materials. Aluminum pollution can result in mass fish die-offs such as the one pictured here. How does this occur? Which of the following is an osmoregulatory challenge that freshwater fishes need to overcome? a. diffusion of sodium ions out of the body b. diffusion of water out of the body c. active transport of sodium ions out of the body d. active transport of water out of the body

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Hey everyone, Let's take a look at this question together, diffusion of water out of the body is a major Osma regulatory challenge that blank need to overcome. So let's look at a few things from this question. So diffusion of water, we know that diffusion of water is called osmosis. And we can recall from previous content that osmosis is the diffusion of water from an area of a high concentration to a low concentration. So when we're talking about that major asthma regulatory challenge, we're looking for an environment that would make that osmosis process difficult. So what area would have a high concentration outside versus the concentration within the cells of the fish, for example. So the correct answer here would be answer choice D marine fishes because that marine environment is one that is hyper tonic, meaning that the environment is higher concentration than within the cells of the fish. And that would make it very difficult for osmosis to occur. Because osmosis is the process of going from high to low. And if the concentration outside is hyper tonic, meaning it is high, it would be very difficult to go high to low. So D. Is the only correct answer here. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye
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Textbook Question

Scientists have noted that marine invertebrates tend to be osmoconformers, while freshwater invertebrates tend to be osmoregulators. Suggest an explanation for this phenomenon.

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Textbook Question

Biologists have been able to produce mice that lack functioning genes for aquaporins. How would the urine of these mice compare to that of mice with normal aquaporins? a. lower volume and lower osmolarity b. lower volume and higher osmolarity c. higher volume and lower osmolarity d. higher volume and higher osmolarity

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Textbook Question

To test the hypothesis that mussels are osmoconformers, researchers exposed mussels to water of varying osmolarities and then drew hemolymph samples from the mussels. Graph the data provided here. Put the independent variable on the x--axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis. Is the researchers' hypothesis supported by the data? Explain.

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Textbook Question

Fish and other aquatic organisms are exposed to many types of water pollutants, including metals such as aluminum. Although a low level of aluminum is found in unpolluted water, many lakes and streams have an increased level because of mining, sewage treatment, and accidental spills of toxic materials. Aluminum pollution can result in mass fish die-offs. In a laboratory, scientists exposed freshwater bony fish (Prochilodus lineatus) to water with a high level of aluminum and compared their blood osmolarity to that of fish exposed to water with a normal aluminum level (control). The results of the experiment are shown here (asterisks indicate P<0.05 between control and treated groups at a given time; BioSkills 3). Do the data support the hypothesis that aluminum interferes with osmoregulation in freshwater fishes? Explain.

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Textbook Question

Fish and other aquatic organisms are exposed to many types of water pollutants, including metals such as aluminum. Although a low level of aluminum is found in unpolluted water, many lakes and streams have an increased level because of mining, sewage treatment, and accidental spills of toxic materials. Aluminum pollution can result in mass fish die-offs. Why did the scientists do this experiment in a laboratory instead of simply collecting fish from a river with a high aluminum level and documenting their osmoregulatory ability?

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Textbook Question

Fish and other aquatic organisms are exposed to many types of water pollutants, including metals such as aluminum. Although a low level of aluminum is found in unpolluted water, many lakes and streams have an increased level because of mining, sewage treatment, and accidental spills of toxic materials. Aluminum pollution can result in mass fish die-offs. The scientists also measured the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase, in the gills of the fish exposed to aluminum and compared it to that of the control fish. What do you suppose were their results? Explain.

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