noun A cold-blooded animal that regulates its body temperature based on external sources such as the environment
In ecology, ectotherms play a crucial role in ecosystems as they interact with other organisms based on their thermal needs.
In biology, an ectotherm is an organism that relies on external sources of heat to regulate its body temperature.
In climate science, ectotherms are affected by changes in temperature and are used as indicators of environmental shifts.
In zoology, ectotherms are animals that cannot regulate their body temperature internally and depend on external sources of heat.
In herpetology, ectotherms are commonly studied due to the prevalence of reptiles and amphibians in this field.
In scientific writing, a writer may use the term 'ectotherm' when discussing different types of animals and their methods of regulating body temperature.
Biologists often use the term 'ectotherm' when studying the physiological characteristics and behaviors of cold-blooded animals.
Zoologists frequently refer to animals such as reptiles and amphibians as ectotherms due to their reliance on external sources of heat for thermoregulation.
Ecologists may use the term 'ectotherm' when analyzing the impact of temperature on the behavior and distribution of various species within an ecosystem.