U3 biology titles

The cells, tissues and organs in plants and animals are adapted to take up and get rid of dissolved substances. Different conditions can affect the rate of transfer. Sometimes energy is needed for transfer to take place.

Substances are transported around the body by the circulatory system (the heart, the blood vessels and the blood). They are transported from where they are taken into the body to the cells, or from the cells to wherre they are removed from the body. Modern developments in biomedical and technological research enable us to help when the circulatory system is not working well. Plants have separate transport systems for water and nutrients.

Humans need to remove waste products from their bodies to keep their internal environment relatively constant. People whose kidneys do not function properly may die because toxic substances accumulate in their blood. Their lives can be saved by using dialysis machines or having a healthy kidney transplanted. Water and ion content, body temperature and blood glucose levels must be kept within very narrow ranges.

Humans often upset the balance of different populations in natural ecosystems, or change the environment so that some species find it difficult to survive. With so many people in the world, there is a serious danger of causing permanent damage not just to the local environments but also to the global environment unless our overall effect is managed carefully. Humans rely on ecosystems for food, water and shelter.