Asked by Michael House on Apr 23, 2024
Verified
Compare and contrast osmoregulation of freshwater fish and marine fish.
Osmoregulation
The process by which living organisms control the concentration of water and solutes within their bodies to maintain homeostasis.
Freshwater Fish
Fish species that spend most or all of their lives in freshwater environments like rivers and lakes, as opposed to saltwater habitats.
Marine Fish
Fish species that live in oceanic environments as opposed to freshwater habitats, often adapting to saltwater conditions.
- Describe the biological processes of maintaining water balance in organisms living in freshwater and saltwater habitats.
Verified Answer
SM
srittam matriss8 days ago
Final Answer :
Freshwater fishes live in a hypotonic environment; consequently, water continuously enters the body, and salts diffuse out. To counteract these tendencies, the gills move some water out and actively transport salts in. In addition, the kidneys excrete large amounts of dilute urine.
Marine fishes live in a hypertonic environment; consequently, they lose water via osmosis and gain salt. To compensate, marine bony fishes drink sea water, their gills excrete salt, and their kidneys excrete only small amounts of urine.
Marine fishes live in a hypertonic environment; consequently, they lose water via osmosis and gain salt. To compensate, marine bony fishes drink sea water, their gills excrete salt, and their kidneys excrete only small amounts of urine.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the biological processes of maintaining water balance in organisms living in freshwater and saltwater habitats.