Why the rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster than Terrestrial organism?

Question

Answer

Why is the rate of breathing in aquatic organisms much faster than terrestrial organisms?

Aquatic Environment

As a result, aquatic organisms need to breathe faster to obtain enough oxygen to survive.

Gills vs Lungs

Aquatic organisms use gills to extract oxygen from water while terrestrial organisms use lungs to extract oxygen from air.

Gills have a larger surface area compared to lungs, allowing for more oxygen to be extracted at a faster rate.

Gills are also more efficient at extracting oxygen from water than lungs are at extracting oxygen from air.

Metabolic Rate

They require more energy to swim, maintain body temperature, and perform other necessary functions.

A faster breathing rate allows them to take in more oxygen to support their high metabolic needs.

Conclusion

The rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster than terrestrial organisms due to the lower oxygen content in water, the use of gills, and higher metabolic rate.