Energy storage, Biology

Assignment Help:

Energy Storage

As we said above, food intake and energy expenditure for animals is approximately equal. If energy expenditure exceeds food intake, then the excess energy is taken up by utilisation of body fat. However, if food intake is excess, then the surplus is stored as fat irrespective of the kind of food eaten. Excess carbohydrates are changed to fats and accordingly RQ exceeds 1. This is because fats contain relatively less oxygen and the excess oxygen of carbohydrates is used in the metabolism. This reduces the oxygen uptake and the respiratory carbon dioxide, oxygen ratio is increased. For this reason fat is ideal storage material for energy. It is much lighter and yields twice as much energy as carbohydrates.

Migratory birds that may have to fly more than 1000 km non-stop, carry fat as 40% to 50% of their body weight. Nonetheless, some carbohydrates are important in energy storage. Glycogen a starch-like carbohydrate polymer is stored as granules in the skeletal muscles and liver of vertebrates. During heavy muscular exercise when blood does not deliver sufficient oxygen to meet demands, glycogen provides the energy. It is broken down directly into glucose-6-phosphate, providing fuel for carbohydrate metabolism more directly than does fat, On the other hand, many animals that do not move about, also store glycogen as excess energy source. For example, clams, oysters and many intestinal parasites like Ascaris use glycogen as the storage material. These animals have to face anaerobic conditions and in such situations glycogen breaks down to acetic acid to yield energy.


Related Discussions:- Energy storage

Lipid digestion, Lipid Digestion Digestion of fats is also similar in...

Lipid Digestion Digestion of fats is also similar in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Lipases are the - enzymes that hydrolyse fats. A single lipase can catalyse many step

Explain tb in pregnancy, TB in pregnancy Treatment of TB should be init...

TB in pregnancy Treatment of TB should be initiated in pregnancy when there is moderate to high suspicion of disease because active infection during pregnancy poses a risk to t

Spermatogonia, Spermatogonia Spermatogonia are the youngest germ cells...

Spermatogonia Spermatogonia are the youngest germ cells from which spermatozoa proliferate. These lie next to the basement membrane and undergo series of mitotic divisions lea

State the term - antecedent and consequence control, Antecedent and consequ...

Antecedent and consequence control Therapy and consultation cannot be effective unless the behaviours to be changed are understood within a particular context. The process of u

Flaws in developmen of human, Flaws in Developmen of Human The human ...

Flaws in Developmen of Human The human growth and development in spite of its complexity works perfectly most of the time. But while development goes awry it creates a giant

Name the enzyme present in saliva, Name the enzyme present in saliva and sa...

Name the enzyme present in saliva and say what type of food it acts on.   The enzyme in saliva is salivary amylase and it acts on starch.

Explain enzyme glutamate oxaloacetate, Enzyme  glutamate oxaloacetate tran...

Enzyme  glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase catalyzes  the  reaction between glutamate and oxaloacetate with the formation of a-ketoglutarate and aspartate due to transfer  of one

Ventricular contraction, The mitral valve has an anterior and a posterior c...

The mitral valve has an anterior and a posterior cusp. The anterior cusp is larger and is attached on the upper right part of the margin of the left AV orifice. The posterior cusp

What are cotyledons, What are cotyledons? Cotyledons or else seed leave...

What are cotyledons? Cotyledons or else seed leaves are structures formed by the embryo of angiosperms to absorb nutrients from the endosperm and to store and transfer these nu

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd