托福口语 Task 3

In biology, the concept of 'behavioral thermoregulation' refers to the strategies animals use to control their body temperature by changing their behavior, rather than through physiological means. This is crucial for survival, as maintaining an optimal internal temperature is essential for metabolic processes. Behavioral thermoregulation can include seeking shade, basking in the sun, or altering posture to maximize or minimize heat absorption. Such behaviors are often flexible and allow animals to adapt to changing environmental conditions quickly, without the energy costs of physiological regulation.

Professor: Let me give you an example. Consider the desert iguana, a lizard that lives in the scorching American Southwest. In the early morning, when the ground is cool, the iguana emerges from its burrow and flattens its body against a sun-warmed rock. This posture maximizes its surface area exposed to the sun, allowing it to absorb heat rapidly and raise its body temperature to an active level. But by midday, when the sand becomes blistering hot, the same iguana will climb onto a small bush or a rock crevice, lifting its body off the ground to avoid contact with the hot surface. It also may change its position to face away from the sun, reducing heat gain. If the temperature still rises, it will retreat into its burrow, which remains cool underground. So you see, the iguana's behavior throughout the day directly manages its body temperature without any internal changes.