This graph is data collected from a species of water snake C

This graph is data collected from a species of water snake.

Can you tell whether this is standard metabolic rate (note we are using standard since this is an ectothermic animal) and Why can oxygen consumption be used to measure metabolic rate?

This graph is data collected from a species of water snake. Polluted Site A Reference 12 11 10 9 5 Hopkins et al., 1999 20 40 60 80 00 120 140 160 180 200 MASS (g) Fig ciata inhabiting a coal ash-polluted site and a reference site plotted against body mass (g) 8 and 17, respective Polluted site ml Om/h 1.00 0.021 (mass); reference site: 1 On/h 1.06 0.012 ml

Solution

is standard metabolic rate, we first need to understand what SMR is:

The minimal amount of oxygen needed by an organism to support its aerobic metabolic rate (also termed as standard metabolic rate, SMR) or more simply it is the minimum oxygen consumption rate of an ectothermic (poikilothermic) animal (i.e., a non-mammal) at a specific temperature. For an endotherm (birds and mammals) we measure BMR (basal metabolic rate). Standard metabolic rate are measured in organisms which are at rest in post-absorptive state and in darkened conditions. SMR also vary with temperature, so it is measured at specific temperature. (so it is standard metabolic rate since our test animal is an ectotherm). SMR is thus an equivalent term as BMR in fishes and reptiles.

oxygen consumption can be used to measure metabolic rate, this is because oxygen is used in cellular respiration and is necessary for the synthesis of ATP (energy) by oxidative phosphorylation.