1. The relationship between metabolism and body temperature.
The relationship between metabolism and body temperature. The increase in extra heat needed to defend the body temperature is, as seen, directly proportional to the decrease in body temperature. The slope of the increase in metabolism as an effect of decreased temperature is a measure of the insulation of the animal [formally, it is the thermal conductance: watts per degree difference between external and internal (i.e. body) temperatures]. This line may be extrapolated (stippled line) to zero. Thus, when the difference between the ambient and body temperatures is zero, heat loss is zero. This is therefore the controlled (defended) temperature (i.e. the body temperature).
Barbara Cannon, and Jan Nedergaard J Exp Biol 2011;214:
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