Organism Physiology Paper: The Tardigrade
Organism Physiology Paper: The TardigradeJarrod ScottBIO/101June 30, 2016Mr. WhitbeyOrganism Physiology Paper: The TardigradeWhen thinking of the worlds toughest animals, most people picture obvious contenders for this title such as a lion. The lion is, of course, known as the king of the jungle. Or maybe a camel for its ability to thrive in the harsh temperatures of the desert and go days without water. In the same respect, the penguin may be thought of for its capability to withstand the extreme colds of the Arctic tundra. However, none of these animals survivability can compare to that of a tardigrade. The tardigrade, though it is as small as the point of a pen, is one of the few animals that has survived the last five great extinctions. This tenacious microorganism can survive in such extreme conditions that no other creature can come close to matching its ability to thrive in the most inhospitable environments. In this paper, I will briefly describe the environment and the role of the tardigrade within it, identify the structures and functions of the main organs found in the tardigrade, explain how the tardigrade has evolved physiologically to become suited to its environment, and describe what would change if the tardigrade were to be transplanted to a significantly different environment.
[pic 1] Figure 1