Which of the statements given below best describes Allen's rule?
Which of the statements given below best describes Allen's rule?
The correct option is A Mammals adapted to colder climates have shorter ears and limbs
Any morphological, physiological or behavioural modification that allows organisms to adjust to new environments or changes in the environment in which they are living are termed as adaptations.
Allen’s rule describes a morphological adaptation in animals, stating that mammals that inhabit colder climates have shorter extremities (limbs and ears). This helps them to reduce heat loss from the body.
Heat loss or gain from the animal's body is a function of the surface area of the body. Smaller organisms have a larger surface area relative to their volume, thus they tend to lose more heat. Heat production in the body depends on its volume but loss or gain of heat in an organism depends on its surface area.
In polar regions which have colder climates, mammals need to conserve body heat in order to maintain a constant body temperature. Thus their limbs and ears are shorter to reduce heat loss from the body.
Any morphological, physiological or behavioural modification that allows organisms to adjust to new environments or changes in the environment in which they are living are termed as adaptations.
Allen’s rule describes a morphological adaptation in animals, stating that mammals that inhabit colder climates have shorter extremities (limbs and ears). This helps them to reduce heat loss from the body.
Heat loss or gain from the animal's body is a function of the surface area of the body. Smaller organisms have a larger surface area relative to their volume, thus they tend to lose more heat. Heat production in the body depends on its volume but loss or gain of heat in an organism depends on its surface area.
In polar regions which have colder climates, mammals need to conserve body heat in order to maintain a constant body temperature. Thus their limbs and ears are shorter to reduce heat loss from the body.
