Scenario

Scenario: Circulatory System

Students please note: It is assumed that you have an understanding of circulatory systems as
presented in your textbook. If not, to best understand this exercise, you should read the
circulatory system chapter in your textbook.

Assume you recently graduated with a B.S. in Biology and have been hired by a national theme
park like Epcot Center in Disneyworld. They are interested in starting a new wildlife-themed
show similar to the Crocodile Hunter. Your job will have two components. The first is to
obtain the appropriate federal/local capture permits, then capture and set up displays with various
vertebrate animals, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. The second, but most
important, will be to develop educational programs for park visitors involving various aspects of
these animals anatomy and physiology. The first of these programs will be focusing on
comparative anatomy of circulatory systems and its influence on physiology and lifestyle. Two
aspects should be emphasized: 1) heart anatomy and its relationship to blood oxygenation and
activity levels in different vertebrate groups; and 2) heart size and placement in relation to body
size and body shape. In preparation for these programs, your colleagues have compiled some
information on these subjects and it is summarized below.
Vertebrate Circulatory Systems
The evolution of the vertebrate circulatory system was critical to the development of an active
lifestyle. The process of evolution has resulted in a four-chambered heart in mammals, birds,
and crocodilian reptiles and complete double circulatory systems with separation of the
pulmonary and systemic circuits. This provides the advantage of not mixing oxygenated and
unoxygenated blood before pumping the blood out to the body (systemic circuit). Other
vertebrates have varying degrees of mixing of oxygenated and unoxygenated blood due to the
lack of complete separation between the systemic and pulmonary circulation (see Figure 1
below). For example, amphibians and reptiles have some mixing because they have 3chambered hearts without a complete septum to divide the ventricle into right and left chambers.
Amphibians and reptiles are ectothermic, which means that they cannot remain highly active for
as long as endothermic animals. Ectotherms are not ectothermic because they lack of a fourchambered heart, but it makes sense that the evolution of a more efficient four-chambered heart
led to the more sustained activity level of endothermic animals (i.e. birds and mammals).

a) Fish

b) amphibian

c) mammal

Scenario
Figure 1. Circulatory systems of fish, amphibians, and mammals.
Heart Size, Rate and Placement
As a general rule, within a particular group of vertebrates, heart size is directly proportional to
body mass (See Table below). However, birds and mammals tend to have larger hearts than
reptiles, amphibians, and fish of similar size. In order to supply blood to all parts of the body,
certain large mammals and other animals with unique body shapes and lifestyles such as snakes
must have a large muscular heart or a different placement of the heart. For example, a giraffe
must have a very large muscular heart with blood vessels able to withstand tremendous pressure
in order to pump blood against gravity to its head which sits atop a very long neck. It would be
more difficult for an arboreal snake that climbs up the sides of trees to maintain blood pressure to
its head than a terrestrial snake of the same size if heart placement in their bodies was the same.
However, the hearts of arboreal snakes are positioned closer to the head than in terrestrial snakes,
allowing them to pump blood to the head without putting undue stress on the heart. (for more on
this subject, see Lillywhite, 1988)
In general, heart rate in small endothermic animals such as mammals is higher than in larger
mammals (see Table below). This is at least partially due to high surface area to volume ratios in
small mammals compared to larger ones. The high SA/V causes them to lose a relatively large
amount of heat compared to larger mammals and means that they must maintain a high metabolic
rate compared to larger animals.

In the next class meeting you will work in small collaborative groups of four to develop the
script and supporting educational materials for the show. Each person in the group will act as the
facilitator for one of the areas, leading the group discussion, promoting input from each of the
other students (who will be acting as discussants) and formalizing the group response. In the
role of a discussant, students provide their knowledge, experience and perspectives, compare and
contrast the inputs of other members of the group and collaborate in the formulation of the group
response. At the end of the activity, you may be called on to present your groups responses (not
necessarily the one you were the facilitator for). You will act as both a facilitator and a discussant
in the activity.

Scenario
References
Lillywhite, H.B. 1988. Snakes, blood circulation and gravity. Scientific American 259(6): 92-98.