Our Story: Mr. Pinho gained too much weight in 2024 because of all the late night White Castle he had with Ms. Angarola. To lose weight in time for beach season, he is going to only eat 100 calories a day and go to the gym every morning. The first day of his new diet, he fainted by 2:00 pm. 

TN'T:Why do humans faint or collapse when they don't have enough food?

Directions: 

Write SEVEN (7) annotations as you read

Cellular Respiration - process where chemical bond energy found in sugar is released, and converted to usable energy. BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS do cellular respiration to release energy from their food.

Mitochondria (pl.) (Mitochondrion(S) - the organelle where cellular respiration occurs. 

ATP - units of stored usable energy

Surviving in Extreme Conditions – The Himalayan Snow Leopard

The Himalayan snow leopard is a predator that lives in one of the harshest environments on Earth: the cold, oxygen-poor mountain ranges of the Himalayas. These big cats must chase down prey like mountain goats across rugged terrain, often at altitudes above 10,000 feet. However, living in such high altitudes presents a challenge—oxygen levels are much lower than at sea level, which affects the body’s ability to generate energy efficiently.

To compensate, snow leopards have evolved adaptations that allow their bodies to use oxygen more effectively. Their muscles contain a high density of mitochondria, allowing them to maximize ATP production even when oxygen is limited. Their blood also has a high red blood cell count, which increases oxygen transport throughout the body. Despite these adaptations, their muscles must still rely on active transport processes to move glucose and other essential molecules into cells, even in the low-oxygen environment.

During a high-speed chase, the snow leopard’s muscles quickly consume available glucose, producing large amounts of ATP through cellular respiration. At the same time, their respiratory and circulatory systems must work harder to bring in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. The combination of efficient oxygen use and active transport mechanisms allows these animals to maintain their strength and endurance at high altitudes, where other predators would struggle.

Scientists studying the snow leopard’s adaptations are particularly interested in how these animals manage to maintain homeostasis in such extreme environments. Understanding these processes could provide insights into how humans might better cope with similar conditions, such as high-altitude mountaineering or even space exploration.

Questions:

1. In the thin atmosphere of the Himalayas, snow leopards must rely heavily on their respiratory and circulatory systems to supply oxygen. How might the lower oxygen levels at high altitudes affect the rate of cellular respiration in snow leopard muscle cells?

A) Cellular respiration will increase due to more available oxygen.
B) Cellular respiration will decrease because there is less oxygen to support the process.
C) Cellular respiration will remain unchanged because snow leopards don’t need oxygen at high altitudes.
D) Cellular respiration will stop completely because ATP cannot be produced in low-oxygen conditions.

2. Snow leopards have high levels of mitochondria in their muscle cells. How would this adaptation affect ATP production, especially during a chase? Explain how this would help the snow leopard survive in its extreme environment.

3. During intense physical exertion, the snow leopard’s muscle cells rely on active transport to move glucose into cells. How might the efficiency of active transport be affected by the low oxygen environment? Use your understanding of the energy demands of active transport and cellular respiration to explain your answer.

4. Snow leopards must maintain homeostasis in the freezing, low-oxygen conditions of the Himalayas. How do the body systems of these animals work together to ensure that enough glucose and oxygen reach their cells?

A) Their digestive system slows down to conserve energy, and they stop breathing to prevent heat loss.
B) Their circulatory system pumps more blood to tissues, while their respiratory system increases oxygen intake.
C) Their muscular system stores oxygen, eliminating the need for breathing during exercise.
D) Their nervous system shuts down during cold conditions to save energy for muscle activity.