2 3 14 Use Available Evidence To Explain The Relationship Be

- Ammonia is the direct result of amino acid breakdown (deamination) and is a waste product of all organisms. It is very water soluble, but very toxic, and must be removed quickly, or changed to a less toxic form. The removal of ammonia would require large volumes of water, and this is not possible for animals or insects that seek to conserve water

- Aquatic Animals and Fish: These organisms directly release ammonia into the environment. This uses a lot of water, but they have no need to conserve it. Ammonia is very water soluble and is excreted through the gills.

- Terrestrial Animals: Releasing ammonia would be impossible due to lack of water. Instead, land-dwellers change ammonia into less toxic forms and release it periodically. Mammals change it into urea and release it as urine. (E.G. Kangaroos, wallabies, hopping mice, koalas, etc.) Australian animals release very concentrated urine, and are able to tolerate high levels of urea in their bodies.

- Birds: Birds change ammonia into uric acid, a whitish paste which uses hardly any water. This is lighter than using urea, and helps in flight.

- Insects: Insects also change ammonia to uric acid (E.G. Acacia psyllids)