scholarly journals Flight Physiology of Flying Foxes, Pteropus Poliocephalus

1985 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 619-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger E. Carpenter

Oxygen consumption was measured during flight in two flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at airspeeds of 4–8.6ms−1. There was good agreement with the measured power input of the only previously measured large bat, and with an allometric equation predicting power input for flying vertebrates. Measurements of respiratory exchange ratios, pulmonary water loss, respiratory frequencies, heart rates and body temperatures of both bats flying at intermediate airspeeds were compared with equivalent measurements on other bats or birds in flight. Despite a high non-evaporative thermal conductance in flight, the P. poliocephalus became severely hyperthermic at ambient temperatures (Ta) above 25°C. The failure to dissipate heat as successfully as flying birds at high Ta is apparently the result of an inability to increase pulmonary ventilation rates, and thus increase rates of evaporative heat loss. The effect of airspeed on endurance was measured systematically on one bat. Endurance was not limited by energy reserves at all airspeeds, and flight times were significantly greater at the airspeed of minimum power input (Vmp). The endurance of both bats was so reduced at the higher airspeeds that they would not achieve maximum flight range in still air at the velocity where cost of locomotion is lowest. Contrary to a common assumption, flight range would be maximized at the Vmp.

1971 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 767-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Berger ◽  
J. S. Hart ◽  
O. Z. Roy

Pulmonary ventilation and temperature of expired air and of the respiratory passages has been measured by telemetry during flight in the black duck (Anas rubripes) and the respiratory water and heat loss has been calculated.During flight, temperature of expired air was higher than at rest and decreased with decreasing ambient temperatures. Accordingly, respiratory water loss as well as evaporative heat loss decreased at low ambient temperatures, whereas heat loss by warming of the inspired air increased. The data indicated respiratory water loss exceeded metabolic water production except at very low ambient temperatures. In the range between −16 °C to +19 °C, the total respiratory heat loss was fairly constant and amounted to 19% of the heat production. Evidence for the independence of total heat loss and production from changes in ambient temperature during flight is discussed.


1987 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 740-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Collins ◽  
W. S. Hunter ◽  
C. M. Blatteis

Core temperature (Tco) of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is consistently higher by approximately 1 degree C than that of normotensive controls. To analyze factors producing the elevated Tco, mean skin temperature (Tsk), metabolic heat production (M), respiratory evaporative heat loss (Eres), effective tissue thermal conductance (K), systolic blood pressure (BP), and Tco were determined in eight male SHR and nine male normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats habituated to rest quietly in neck stock restraint while exposed to ambient temperatures (Ta) of 12.5, 17, 23, 28.5, 32, 34, and 35 degrees C. At all temperatures steady-state BP, Tco, and M were higher for SHR's than for WKY's. SHR's could maintain thermal balance up to Ta 32 degrees C, and WKY's up to 34 degrees C. Eres from SHR's was greater than from WKY's at Ta of 12.5, 17, and 28.5 degrees C. K of SHR's was not different from or was higher than K of WKY's, and K for both groups was 2.6 times greater at Ta 32 degrees C than at 17 degrees C. These results indicate that the high Tco of SHR's is due to increased M uncompensated by increased K or Eres.


1980 ◽  
Vol 239 (3) ◽  
pp. R241-R247
Author(s):  
K. R. Holmes ◽  
W. S. Hunter

Seven Telazol (CI-744)-[Telazol is an experimental drug (Parke, Davis) composed of two ingredients in equal amounts by weight: tiletamine HCl, designated chemically as 2-(ethylamino)-2-(2-thienyl)cyclohexanone-HCl, and zolazepam HCl, designated as 4-(o-fluorophenyl)-6,8-dihydro-1,3,8-trimethylpyrazolo-3,4-e 1,4 diazepin-7(IH)-one monohydrochloride] anesthetized rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were exposed to ambient temperatures (Ta) of 15, 23, 29, 35, and 38 degrees C to evaluate the effect of this dissociative anesthetic agent on thermoregulation. Thermal equilibrium in both anesthetized and control animals at Ta 15 degrees C was through peripheral vasoconstriction and metabolic heat production (M); shivering increased M in the anesthetized group to 1.7 times the resting M of 41.4 W x m-2. Both groups at Ta 38 degrees C regulated body temperature by vasodilation and increased skin evaporative heat loss (Esk) due to sweating. Anesthetized animals increased Esk from 6.4 W x m-2 at Ta 29 degrees C to 32.5 W x m-2 at Ta 38 degrees C. Panting was not observed in either group. Effective tissue thermal conductance was lowest at Ta 15 and 23 degrees C (6.9 and 7.6 W x m2 x degrees C-1, respectively), and increased with Ta's above 23 degrees C (45.0 W x m-2 at Ta 38 degrees C). These results indicate that Telazol-anesthetized monkeys maintain thermal balance at ambient temperatures from 15 to 38 degrees C, and that Telazol induces little or no impairment of thermoregulation in rhesus monkeys.


1978 ◽  
Vol 235 (1) ◽  
pp. R41-R47
Author(s):  
M. T. Lin ◽  
I. H. Pang ◽  
S. I. Chern ◽  
W. Y. Chia

Elevating serotonin (5-HT) contents in brain with 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) reduced rectal temperature (Tre) in rabbits after peripheral decarboxylase inhibition with the aromatic-L-amino-acid decarboxylase inhibitor R04-4602 at two ambient temperatures (Ta), 2 and 22 degrees C. The hypothermia was brought about by both an increase in respiratory evaporative heat loss (Eres) and a decrease in metabolic rate (MR) in the cold. At a Ta of 22 degrees C, the hypothermia was achieved solely due to an increase in heat loss. Depleting brain contents of 5-HT with intraventricular, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) produced an increased Eres and ear blood flow even at Ta of 2 degrees C. Also, MR increased at all but the Ta of 32 degrees C. However, depleting the central and peripheral contents of 5-HT with p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) produced lower MR accompanied by lower Eres in the cold compared to the untreated control. Both groups of pCPA-treated and 5,7-DHT-treated animals maintained their Tre within normal limits. The data suggest that changes in 5-HT content in brain affects the MR of rabbits in the cold. Elevating brain content of 5-HT tends to depress the MR response to cold, while depleting brain content of 5-HT tends to enhance the MR response to cold.


1993 ◽  
Vol 335 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello G. P. Rosa ◽  
Leisa M. Schmid ◽  
Leah A. Krubitzer ◽  
John D. Pettigrew

1999 ◽  
Vol 202 (21) ◽  
pp. 3021-3028 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.C. Hoffman ◽  
G.E. Walsberg

We tested the hypothesis that birds can rapidly change the conductance of water vapor at the skin surface in response to a changing need for evaporative heat loss. Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were placed in a two-compartment chamber separating the head from the rest of the body. The rate of cutaneous evaporation was measured in response to dry ventilatory inflow at three ambient temperatures and in response to vapor-saturated ventilatory inflow at two ambient temperatures. At 35 degrees C, cutaneous evaporation increased by 72 % when evaporative water loss from the mouth was prevented, but no increase was observed at 45 degrees C. For both dry and vapor-saturated treatments, cutaneous evaporation increased significantly with increased ambient temperature. Changes in skin temperature made only a minor contribution to any observed increase in cutaneous evaporation. This indicates that Z. macroura can effect rapid adjustment of evaporative conductance at the skin in response to acute change in thermoregulatory demand.


1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Parry-Jones ◽  
ML Augee

A colony site occupied by grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) from October to May on the central coast of N.S.W. was monitored over a 48 month period (1986-1990). Faecal and spat-out material was collected for microscopic determination of contents. Comparison of food items in the droppings with the array of possible food sources present in the vicinity of the colony at the same time showed a marked preference for certain foods, in particular blossoms of the family Myrtaceae and of the genus Banksia. Cultivated orchard fruits were not a preferred food and were only taken at times when preferred food items were scarce.


1985 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 1592-1596 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Kaminski ◽  
H. V. Forster ◽  
G. E. Bisgard ◽  
L. G. Pan ◽  
S. M. Dorsey ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine if the changes in O2 consumption (VO2) during CO2 inhalation could in part be due to stimulation of thermogenesis for homeothermy. Twelve ponies were exposed for 30-min periods to inspired CO2 (PIco2) levels of less than 0.7, 14, 28, and 42 Torr during the winter at 5 (neutral) and 23 degrees C ambient temperatures (TA) and during the summer at 21 (neutral TA), 30, and 12 degrees C. Elevating TA in both seasons resulted in an increased pulmonary ventilation (VE) and breathing frequency (f) (P less than 0.01) but no significant increase in VO2 (P greater than 0.05). Decreasing TA in the summer resulted in a decrease in VE and f (P less than 0.01) but no significant change in VO2 (P greater than 0.05). At neutral TA in both seasons, VO2 increased progressively (P less than 0.05) as PIco2 was increased from 14 to 28 and 42 Torr. The increases in VO2 during CO2 inhalation were attenuated (P less than 0.05) at elevated TA and accentuated at the relatively cold TA in the summer (P less than 0.05). Respiratory heat loss (RHL) during CO2 inhalation was inversely related to TA. Above a threshold RHL of 2 cal X min-1 X m-2, metabolic heat production (MHP) increased 0.3 cal X min-1 X m-2 for each unit increase in RHL during CO2 inhalation at the neutral and elevated TA. However, during cold stress in the summer, the slope of the MHP-RHL relationship was 1.6, indicating an increased MHP response to RHL.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (1) ◽  
pp. R39-R45 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Oufara ◽  
H. Barre ◽  
J. L. Rouanet ◽  
J. Chatonnet

To explain tolerance of heat and cold in gerbils (Gerbillus campestris) in their natural environment, a comparative study was made of thermoregulatory reactions in these animals and white mice (Mus musculus) of the same body mass exposed for 2-3 h to ambient temperatures (Ta) ranging from -23 to 40 degrees C. Metabolic rate (MR), evaporative heat loss (EHL), colonic temperature (Tb), and electromyographic activity (EMG) were measured. Nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) was also evaluated from the increase in MR after norepinephrine injection. In gerbils, tolerance of cold was higher than in mice; there was no fall in Tb in cold-acclimated (CA) and control (TN) gerbils after 3 h of exposure at -20 and -10 degrees C Ta, respectively; peak MR (PMR) reached five to six times resting MR (RMR) in gerbils and four to five times in mice. In gerbils, RMR was 35% below that of mice. In TN gerbils, EHL did not increase before 38 degrees C Ta; EHL increased at 26 degrees C in mice. In both animals, cold acclimation increased cold tolerance, PMR, RMR, and NST. Low RMR, high Tb, and mainly burrowing habits preserve gerbils from overheating and save water in hot and arid environments, and a conspicuous tolerance of cold allows them to live and forage in the wild during the cold night.


1976 ◽  
Vol 231 (3) ◽  
pp. 903-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Pinshow ◽  
MA Fedak ◽  
DR Battles ◽  
K Schmidt-Nielsen

During the antarctic winter emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) spend up to four mo fasting while they breed at rookeries 80 km or more from the sea, huddling close together in the cold. This breeding cycle makes exceptional demands on their energy reserves, and we therefore studied their thermoregulation and locomotion. Rates of metabolism were measured in five birds (mean body mass, 23.37 kg) at ambient temperatures ranging from 25 to -47 degrees C. Between 20 and -10 degrees C the metabolic rate (standard metabolic rate (SMR)) remained neraly constant, about 42.9 W. Below -10 degrees C metabolic rate increased lineraly with decreasing ambient temperature and at -47 degrees C it was 70% above the SMR. Mean thermal conductance below -10 degrees C was 1.57 W m-2 degrees C-1. Metabolic rate during treadmill walking increased linearly with increasing speed. Our data suggest that walking 200 km (from the sea to the rookery and back) requires less than 15% of the energy reserves of a breeding male emperor penguin initially weighing 35 kg. The high energy requirement for thermoregulation (about 85%) would, in the absence of huddling, probably exceed the total energy reserves.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document