Photo AI
The Australian hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, is a desert animal - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 1 - 2001 - Paper 1
Question 1
The Australian hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, is a desert animal. It produces urine that is very concentrated. Why is this an advantage for the animal? (A) It need... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The Australian hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, is a desert animal - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 1 - 2001 - Paper 1
Step 1
Why is this an advantage for the animal?
Answer
The Australian hopping mouse produces concentrated urine as an adaptation to its desert environment. This adaptation is crucial because:
-
Water Conservation: Concentrated urine maximizes the retention of water in the body, which is vital for survival in arid conditions where water sources are scarce.
-
Answer Option Evaluation:
- (A) It needs to conserve water. This is correct as producing concentrated urine allows the mouse to excrete waste while conserving valuable water.
- (B) It is nocturnal and only drinks at dusk. While this behavior helps avoid daytime heat, it does not explain the advantage of concentrated urine.
- (C) It has a high intake of salt in its specialised diet. Although this may require more water to excrete, it does not specifically relate to the benefit of urine concentration.
- (D) It needs to excrete large amounts of water to survive. This is incorrect. Producing concentrated urine means it can excrete waste efficiently without losing much water.
Thus, the best answer is (A): It needs to conserve water.