Question regarding homeostasis in Daphnia

  • Thread starter Thread starter chris097
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of homeostasis as observed in Daphnia during a lab experiment involving the addition of yeast as a food source. Participants explore how the Daphnia's behavior in response to the food relates to homeostasis, including the implications of feedback loops.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that the Daphnia moved closer to the yeast, suggesting this behavior might indicate a stable environment for feeding.
  • Another participant proposes that the Daphnia's movement towards the food source represents it being in its "best" area, although the term "best" is left undefined.
  • A participant expresses uncertainty in articulating the concept but acknowledges understanding the underlying meaning of homeostasis.
  • One participant argues that the Daphnia's movement is a response to environmental change, questioning whether this situation exemplifies a negative or positive feedback loop.
  • Another participant concurs that feedback loops may not apply in this scenario, contrasting it with internal regulatory processes like digestion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the applicability of feedback loops to the Daphnia's behavior, indicating a lack of consensus on this aspect of the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the lack of internal regulation in the observed behavior, which may limit the applicability of feedback loop concepts. There is also ambiguity in the definitions of terms like "best" area and how they relate to homeostasis.

chris097
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
I recently did a lab where i added a single grain of yeast to a water drop with a Daphnia. I was wondering how this experiment represents homeostasis. All i noticed was the Daphnia moved closer to the food source and pretty much burrowed inside of the granule.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
i think its because the daphnia won't have to move for food, so its stable and in its "best?" area.
 
i don't really know how to explain it...but i know what it means...i don't know try to glean what you can off of my crappy explanation. :P
 
So its response to the change in the environment is that it moves closer to the food source because this is the ideal position for it to feed. Also is this a negative or positive feedback loop. I don't think that really applies here because the change is not regulated internally.
 
yep, and think that feedback loops don't apply in this condition, because a negative feedback loop would apply somewhere like your stomach for protein digestion, pepsin, pepsinogen and all the like :P
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
5K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
6K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
4K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
5
Views
5K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
4K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
6K