Tasalämpötila

Tasalämpötila refers to an organism that maintains a stable internal body temperature regardless of the external environment. This is in contrast to poikilotherms, whose body temperature fluctuates with the ambient temperature. Organisms with tasalämpötila, also known as endotherms or homeotherms, generate their own body heat through metabolic processes and employ various physiological mechanisms to regulate their temperature.

These regulatory mechanisms include shivering to produce heat, sweating or panting to dissipate heat, and adjusting blood flow to the skin. For example, animals like mammals and birds are tasalämpöisiä. This ability allows them to inhabit a wide range of environments, from very cold to very hot climates, and to remain active even when external temperatures are unfavorable.

The stable internal temperature is crucial for optimal enzyme function and metabolic efficiency, which are essential for life processes. Maintaining this constant temperature requires a significant energy investment, as the organism must continuously produce heat. Therefore, tasalämpöiset organisms often need to consume more food than poikilotherms of similar size to fuel their metabolic heat production. The term "tasalämpötila" is Finnish and directly translates to "even temperature" or "stable temperature."