Final answer:
The body responds to increased environmental temperature by sweating and dilating blood vessels, which help cool the body and maintain homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the body is exposed to increased environmental temperature, it responds by activating various mechanisms to regulate body temperature and prevent overheating. One of the main responses is sweating, which helps cool the body as the sweat evaporates from the skin. Additionally, blood vessels near the skin surface dilate, allowing more blood to flow to the surface and dissipate heat into the environment. This helps decrease body temperature and maintain homeostasis.
Concurrently, sweat glands are activated, and as sweat evaporates from the skin, it carries away thermal energy, effectively cooling the body. This process, however, is less efficient in high humidity, as the air cannot readily absorb more moisture, impairing sweat evaporation and making it harder for the body to cool down. Additionally, the body may increase the depth of respiration, which also aids in heat loss. To support these responses, it's crucial to maintain proper hydration due to the loss of fluids through sweating. These mechanisms are part of a negative-feedback loop essential for the maintenance of homeostasis.