Vertebrate Adaptions For Terrestrial Life

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mouth, passes through the trachea,
then branches off at the two bronchi, and goes through many branching passages
called bronchioles, which end in alveoli. Alveoli are sack-like structures where
the circulatory system meets the respiratory system.

Since terrestrial vertebrates do not live in water, they need to develop
a means of conserving water. One way we do this is through our excretions.
Nitrogen forms a major waste product in animals. When amino acids and nucleic
acids are broken down, they release toxic ammonia (NH3). To rid the body of this
toxin, several mechanisms have evolved, each appropriate to the habitat or
survival of the animal. Aquatic animals secrete NH3 directly into the
surrounding water. Land animals cannot do this because of the toxicity of NH3.
Instead, NH3 is converted into urea in our livers. Urea is significantly less
toxic than NH3, and thus requires less water to excrete in the urine. The reason
we need the water to excrete this is because the water ...

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