Explain how mammals living in arid areas overcome the problem of water shortage. (18marks)

Note the key words are bolded

• Camel excretes high uric acid content to reduce water loss in urine
• Mammals such cows and elephants have fur to reduce water loss through evaporation
• Mammals e.g. camels living in arid areas have low glomerular filtration rate.
• Some mammals such as rats are nocturnal to reduce water loss during day
• Small mammals go into a state of dormancy during summer or dry season, a phenomenon called aestivation.
• By using metabolic water. E.g. a desert animal such as kangaroo rat tends to metabolize fats rather than carbohydrate to obtain a high yield of water.
• They have tissues that tolerant to water loss e.g. the camel tissues are exceptionally tolerant to dehydration.
• Most mammals such kangaroos, camels have fewer or no sweat glands to limit the amount of water they lose through perspiration.
• Some mammals such as camel have big humps to store fat which are metabolized to form water
• Gain water from food and drinking water.
• Development of embryo inside the body prevents dehydration of the fetus.
• Lungs/gaseous exchange surface inside the body to reduce drying up.

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