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Related Concept Videos

Body Temperature01:25

Body Temperature

The body's temperature, measured in degrees, is determined by the balance between heat production and dissipation to the surrounding environment. For instance, if exercising vigorously, the body will produce more heat, causing sweat and dissipating that heat. Despite extreme environmental conditions and physical exertion, the human temperature-control system maintains a constant core body temperature (the temperature of deep tissues, which are the tissues located beneath the skin and other...
Body Temperature01:07

Body Temperature

Body temperature reflects the equilibrium between heat production and heat loss within the body. Most heat is generated by metabolically active tissues, particularly the liver, heart, brain, kidneys, and endocrine organs. At rest, skeletal muscles contribute 20–30% of total heat production, but during vigorous exercise, this can increase up to 30–40 times.
The average body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F) and typically ranges from 36.1–37.2°C (97–99°F), remaining relatively stable...
Thermoregulation01:26

Thermoregulation

The human body has a sophisticated thermoregulation system that employs negative feedback mechanisms to maintain an optimal core temperature. When the core temperature drops, peripheral and central thermoreceptors send signals to the hypothalamus, activating the heat-promoting center. This center triggers several responses aimed at increasing the core temperature. First, vasoconstriction reduces the flow of warm blood from internal organs to the skin so that the heat is not lost from the skin,...
Increased Body Temperature01:25

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above  38°C  (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in response to an infection or illness.
Sympathetic Activation01:16

Sympathetic Activation

The sympathetic division can influence tissues and organs by releasing norepinephrine at peripheral synapses and distributing epinephrine and norepinephrine through the bloodstream. In times of crisis or stress, sympathetic activation occurs, which is regulated by sympathetic centers in the hypothalamus. As a result, sympathetic activation prepares the body for physical exertion, rapid ATP production, and heightened alertness, allowing individuals to respond effectively to challenging or...
Requirements for Human Life01:26

Requirements for Human Life

The Earth and its atmosphere have provided humans with air, water, and food, but these are not the only requirements for survival. Humans also require a specific range of temperature and pressure that the Earth and its atmosphere provides.
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
10:28

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Published on: May 24, 2018

Male weasels decrease activity and energy expenditure in response to high ambient temperatures.

Karol Zub1, Quinn E Fletcher, Paulina A Szafrańska

  • 1Mammal Research Institute PAS, Białowieża, Poland. karolzub@zbs.bialowieza.pl

Plos One
|August 27, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Small weasels reduce activity and energy expenditure in warm temperatures, supporting the heat dissipation limit (HDL) hypothesis. This suggests even small endotherms face thermal constraints on their energy use.

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Area of Science:

  • Zoology
  • Physiology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • The heat dissipation limit (HDL) hypothesis posits that an endotherm's ability to dissipate heat constrains its energy expenditure.
  • This hypothesis predicts reduced energy expenditure and activity in endotherms at high ambient temperatures to prevent hyperthermia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the predictions of the HDL hypothesis in male weasels (Mustela nivalis).
  • To investigate the relationship between ambient temperature and daily energy expenditure (DEE) and daily activity time (AT).

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an extensive dataset on DEE (n=27) and AT (n=48) of male weasels during spring and summer.
  • Analyzed the relationship between ambient temperature (Ta) and AT, DEE, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and metabolic scope.

Main Results:

  • Ambient temperature exhibited a "hump-shaped" (convex) relationship with AT, DEE, RMR, and metabolic scope.
  • Male weasels reduced their AT, DEE, and RMR in response to warmer ambient temperatures.

Conclusions:

  • The findings support the HDL hypothesis, demonstrating that male weasels adjust their energy expenditure and activity to cope with heat.
  • Suggests that small endotherms, like weasels, can experience thermal constraints on energy expenditure, similar to larger endotherms.