Question

Desert animals, such as the kangaroo rat, need to conserve water. These animals have larger kidneys than do animals that live in moist environments and thus need not conserve water. The larger kidneys allow for a greater distance between the glomerulus and the bottom of the loop of the Henle. Discuss why the anatomical difference assists water conservation in desert animals.

Answer 1

The greater distance between the glomerulus and the loop of Henle allows for more surface area. That means more area for osmosis to occur, returning water to the bloodstream where it can then diffuse into cells for metabolic processes.