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The Science of an Extreme Animal Athlete

Topic

  • Cell Biology
  • Cellular Energetics
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Scientific Skills & Literacy
  • Experimental Design

Resource Type

  • Videos
  • Scientists at Work

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege

Duration

00:10:30
Saved By
41 Users
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Description

This video follows biologist Shane Campbell-Staton, who is studying the adaptations that allow deer mice living at high elevations to stay warm and active during the winter.

In this video, Campbell-Staton collaborates with two colleagues, who also happen to be long-distance runners, to investigate how certain populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) survive long winters on mountaintops. The scientists catch and study wild deer mice from low-elevation and high-elevation environments. By comparing the amount of oxygen the mice breathe in to the amount of carbon dioxide they breathe out, the scientists determine that mice adapted to living at high elevations use fats (lipids) at higher rates than mice adapted to living at low elevations do. Fats are often used to power activities requiring a lot of endurance, such as running a marathon or staying warm on mountains. Deer mice living at high elevations may have evolved to burn fat at higher rates for this reason. These mice also have other adaptations, such as hemoglobin that is better able to bind oxygen, that help them survive at high elevations.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Key Terms

carbohydrate, carbon dioxide, cellular respiration, energy, heat, hemoglobin, lipid, macromolecule, metabolism, oxygen

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria. Video files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 02.27.20
Date Updated 03.10.20

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1-7, HS-LS4-4

AP Biology (2019)

ENE-1, EVO-1

IB Biology (2016)

2.1, 2.3, 2.8, 5.2, 8.1, 8.2

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.6

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

3.2

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC4; DP4

Materials

HD (M4V) 406 MB
HD (WMV) 330 MB
SD (M4V) 89 MB
SD (WMV) 89 MB
Transcript (PDF) 257 KB

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