atmosphere: oxygen 10% lower than earth, how would repiratory system function?

Wow, great question.

The key to solving this question is to understand the statement "animals on the planet share nearly the same characteristics with mammals on earth." This sentence indicates that the animals on this planet carry blood physiologically similar to animals on our planet, only with subtle differences. Since there is a lower concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere, hemoglobin (the blood carrying proteins) would have to function a little more aggressively than our hemoglobin; perhaps more like myoglobin, where the affinity for oxygen is much higher. In fact, myoglobin has a hyperbolic oxygen equilibrium curve; this indicates that myoglobin in monomeric and accepts a single oxygen molecule with high affinity. Hemoglobins, on the other hand, are multimeric; they display cooperative binding, which means that its affinity for oxygen changes with the amount of oxygen already bound. The binding of one oxygen in hemoglobin increasing the affinity for the next subunit of the hemoglobin molecule - Hemoglobin, unlike myglobin, has four subunits.

Do you get it, or do you want me to explain it to you in a different way?

What level are you studying? This a 2nd year university response

Thank you, I am a first year student studying Biology 106, the book we use is the Campbell/Reece.

Everything you mentioned was actually in parts of my notes but i completely forgot about them. Your information is much more helpful, i understand it better. Thanks so much. This is my first time using this forum, its great :]

Oh excellent, we are associated with Pearson, so if you ever need answers to questions, we have test-bank material for your textbook .

Since you were mainly talking about hemoglobin/myoglobin, would this be more of a circulatory system adaptation rather than a respiratory systems'? Where does it lean more towards?

thanks.

I would classify it as respiration and gas exchange.