Suggest how a wood mouse maintains a constant body temperature when in a cold environment?

Thermoreceptors in the skin and hypothalamus detect low temperature and send impulses to the heat gain centre inthe thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus. This heat gain centre sends out impulses to the muscles of skin arterioles to contract them and cause vasoconstriction so that less blood reaches the skin capillaries/superficial capillaries causing less loss of heat. In addition, the impulse causes muscles of shunt vessels to relax in order to dilate / widen the shunt vessel so that lessblood reaches the skin capillaries / superficial capillaries. Impulses reach hair erector muscles in the skin to cause contraction so that the hair stand upright to trap air that acts as an insulator, so that less heat is lost by radiation and convection. Heat is generated by shivering due to violent muscle contraction (shivering thermoregulation). Heat is generated by increasing metabolism of brown fat in skeletal muscles (non-shivering thermoregulation). Inhibition of sweat glands hence less sweating causing less heat loss by evaporation.

Answered by Akshi S. Biology tutor

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