Homeostasis is a core tenet of the life sciences.
Homeostasis is the ability to maintain a relatively stable internal state that persists despite changes in the world outside. All living organisms, from plants to puppies to people, must regulate their internal environment to process energy and ultimately survive. If your blood pressure skyrockets or body temperature plummets, for example, your organ systems may struggle to do their jobs and eventually fail.
In healthy organisms, homeostatic processes unfold constantly and automatically, according to Scientific American . Multiple systems often work in tandem to hold steady a single physiological factor, like body temperature. If these measures falter or fail, an organism may succumb to disease, or even death.
Animals will also adjust their behavior in response to negative feedback. For example, when overheated, we may shed a layer of clothing, move into the shade, or drink a cold glass of water. "The set points themselves aren't fixed but can show adaptive plasticity," said Art Woods, a biologist at the University of Montana in Missoula."This model allows for anticipatory responses to upcoming potential disturbances to set points."
"Activating homeostatic response systems can be fine for short periods of time," Woods said. But they're not designed to last for long."Homeostatic systems can fail catastrophically if they are pushed too far; so, although systems may be able to handle near-term novel climates, they may not be able to handle larger changes over longer periods of time."
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