EASTERN PONDHAWK'S GAS EXCHANGE
EASTERN PONDHAWK'S RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
OXYGEN ?
All living creatures need oxygen in order to survive. Oxygen plays a major role in cellular respiration, which is extremely necessary for a healthy organism to function. Cellular respiration is the process of breaking down sugars for energy (ATP). The formula for cellular repiration is C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O (1). The final product of cellular respiration is ATP which will produce energy. For this to happen, glucose from the food and oxygen enter the mitochondria. This creates ATP, which are held together by phosphate bonds. When one bond breaks, ATP transforms into ADP, releasing the energy the organsim needs. This energy will be used to sustain the organism and essentially, allow it to live. Oxygen is important in this process because it transports the components in order to make the energy. After the oxygen is used, the organism discards the useless substances as carbon dioxide (2).
(1) http://www.dvbiology.org/biologyweb/bcresp.htm
(2)http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Cellular-Respiration.topicArticleId-8524,articleId-8420.html
(1) http://www.dvbiology.org/biologyweb/bcresp.htm
(2)http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Cellular-Respiration.topicArticleId-8524,articleId-8420.html
ATP-> ADP
How does energy form?
HOW THE EASTERN PONDHAWK EXCHANGES GASES
Dragonflies take advantage of the surrounding water to obtain oxygen. As nymphs, dragonflies exchange gases through the anus (1). To obtain the oxygen, the Easter Pondhawk has to scoop down and dip the tip of their abdomen into the water. Inside of the Eastern Pondhawk's rectal chamber, there are hidden gills that absorb the oxygen from the water (1). The process is sometimes risky since the nymph can suck up mud or other polluted substances (1). But the dragonfly does have a "packaging system" which traps the foreign substances, preventing death (1). Having very strong abdominal muscles, the nymph is able to pump the water into the rectal chamber in order to exchange gases (1). Along with exchanging gases, the dragonfly pumps out the waste or carbon dioxide also through the anus (1). The process of diffusion occurs in the wall of the tracheole after traveling through the tracheae (2).
Fun Fact: The Eastern Pondhawk uses the strong abdominal muscles they use to exchange gas to accelerate their flight. They squirt out the water they have pumped to propel them forward and avoid their predators (1).
(1) http://books.google.com/books?id=oxRD1gAkVVsC&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=respiratory+system+Eastern+pondhawk&source=bl&ots=MKgmrMu_Rq&sig=B5T1XZ1RLxKw33V0E19egv5kXDg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wYEzUf_sDc3O0QHNnIGABA&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=respiratory%20system%20Eastern%20pondhawk&f=false
(2) http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/insects-arachnids/question555.htm
Fun Fact: The Eastern Pondhawk uses the strong abdominal muscles they use to exchange gas to accelerate their flight. They squirt out the water they have pumped to propel them forward and avoid their predators (1).
(1) http://books.google.com/books?id=oxRD1gAkVVsC&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=respiratory+system+Eastern+pondhawk&source=bl&ots=MKgmrMu_Rq&sig=B5T1XZ1RLxKw33V0E19egv5kXDg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wYEzUf_sDc3O0QHNnIGABA&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=respiratory%20system%20Eastern%20pondhawk&f=false
(2) http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/insects-arachnids/question555.htm