Gas Exchange in Insects
Insects, vermin and entomological new and unknown species do play an essential role in both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Strictly speaking insects are useful animals that are for instance responsible for pollination; others, however, feed on plants or animals as well as on dung in order to help in its general decomposition. Furthermore insects and other species do represent important and vital sources of food and nutrition for animals such as mammals, fish, and birds – and also humans. In this context it has to be taken into consideration that only one per cent of all known insects are considered to be pests: So-called pest species feed on crops, forests, plants and clothing. Besides, there are also special insects that feed on human beings. We are talking about insects such as mosquitoes and fleas that primarily spread dangerous diseases among both animals and humanity. Although only one per cent of insects and species are characterized to be pests, entomologists are hard-working in order to discover solutions of limiting the dangerous impact of vermin and pests.
When generally talking about insects, it is also important to know some basic information about these animals. Strictly speaking insects possess a hard, chitinous and impermeable exoskeleton. This is the main reason why insects do have a more specialized gas exchange system and no general transport system. Because of this physiological given fact gases have to be transported directly towards the respiring tissues. Please mind that the process and functionality of gas exchange in insects cannot be generalized for every single species. Of course there exists a number of insects whose gas exchange is a bit different in comparison to other insects because of a different physiology for instance. When talking about gases and gas exchange, this given fact can easily be compared to gas and electricity providers, so-called Gasanbieter in German. They do have different gases, prices and tariffs which should in any case be compared to other providers. Consequently advantages and disadvantages of every single gas and electricity provider can be discovered.
Back to business we will focus on further details considering the general gas exchange in insects. Insects do have tiny holes, so-called spiracles, which are along the side of the respective insect. These spiracles represent openings of small tubes which do directly lead into the insect’s body. There are larger and smaller spiracles: The former are called tracheae, the latter however tracheoles.
The ends of the already mentioned small tubes find themselves in direct contact with individual cells and contain a great deal of fluid. The fluid in which the gases are liquidized is lead into the muscle tissue. This process results in enlarging the general surface area of air together with cells. Consequently all gases extend through the spiracles – in other words down both tracheae and tracheoles.