Final answer:
A higher temperature generally increases metabolism in ectotherms due to faster chemical reactions, requiring more food. In endotherms, body temperature is regulated metabolically, and they adapt behaviors to maintain homeostasis. Extreme temperatures can denature enzymes, affecting metabolism and necessitating coping strategies like hibernation or migration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Effect of Higher Temperatures on Metabolism in Organisms
Temperature significantly influences metabolic rates in both exothermic and endothermic organisms. For exothermic organisms, or ectotherms which rely on external sources of heat, a rise in temperature can lead to an increase in metabolic activity as chemical reactions speed up. However, this also means that ectotherms require more food to support the elevated metabolism. Endothermic organisms, or endotherms, regulate their body heat metabolically and maintain constant body temperatures. In cold conditions, they increase their metabolic rate to produce more heat, whereas in hot conditions they have mechanisms like increased blood flow to dissipate excess heat, although this also leads to increased energy and food requirements.
Both groups of organisms may employ strategies such as hibernation, aestivation, or migration to cope with temperature variations that affect their metabolism. Additionally, enzymes, which facilitate metabolic reactions, are only efficient within a specific temperature range and can be denatured at higher temperatures. The phenomenon of a metabolic rate that doubles to triples with a 10°C rise in temperature is commonly observed, highlighting the importance of thermoregulation in maintaining homeostasis within the organism.