Final answer:
Mr. Shepherd's body maintains a constant temperature through homeostasis, mainly by constricting blood vessels, reducing sweat gland activity, and shivering to produce heat.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mr. Shepherd's body maintains a relatively constant temperature through a process known as homeostasis. This involves a series of physiological responses that work to keep internal conditions within a narrow and safe range. When exposed to cold, the body reacts through several mechanisms:
Blood vessels constrict to reduce blood flow to the skin and extremities, this minimizes heat loss.
Shivering occurs, which is an involuntary contraction of muscles, producing heat as a by-product of increased metabolic activity.
Sweat glands reduce their activity, so there is less evaporative cooling on the skin's surface.
These responses help to conserve heat and elevate the body temperature back towards its normal range, maintaining the 'steady state' necessary for optimal physiological function. In more active situations, such as exercising, the body's temperature can rise due to increased metabolic activity, which is also counterbalanced by these homeostatic mechanisms.