Final answer:
Damage to the sensory-somatic nervous system can result in impaired voluntary muscle control and disrupted sensory perception. It can affect reflex actions and voluntary movements but does not typically cause increased heart rate or enhanced reflexes, as these functions are governed by the autonomic nervous system.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the sensory-somatic nervous system of an animal is damaged, several issues can arise concerning both sensory perception and motor control. One likely consequence of such damage would be impaired voluntary muscle control, as the sensory-somatic nervous system is directly responsible for conscious perception and voluntary motor responses. This could manifest as difficulty in initiating movements or performing precise motor tasks. Damage to the axons leading from sensory receptors to the central nervous system (CNS) would disrupt the steps of sensory perception, leading to diminished or altered sensation. The somatic nervous system also contributes to reflex actions, which are involuntary responses to stimuli. Hence, a damaged sensory-somatic nervous system can impair reflexes, leading to slower or absent response to environmental stimuli.
Conversely, increased heart rate, enhanced reflexes, and improved sensory perception are not typically effects associated with damage to the sensory-somatic nervous system, but rather can involve the autonomic nervous system, particularly its sympathetic division. The autonomic system, which is divisible into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, is responsible for involuntary functions such as heart rate regulation, digestion, and the fight-or-flight response.