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Results for “Journal of Experimental Biology”

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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2015

Rapid maturation of the muscle biochemistry that supports diving in Pacific walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens )

Physiological constraints dictate animals’ ability to exploit habitats. For marine mammals, it is important to quantify physiological limits that influence diving and their ability to alter foraging behaviors. We characterized age-specific dive limits of walruses by measuring anaerobic (acid-buffering capacity) and aerobic (myoglobin content) capacities of the muscles that power hind (longissimus dorsi) and fore (supraspinatus) flipper propulsion. Mean buffering capacities were similar across muscles and age classes (a fetus, five neonatal calves, a 3 month old and 20 adults), ranging from 41.31 to 54.14 slykes and 42.00 to 46.93 slykes in the longissimus and supraspinatus, respectively. Mean myoglobin in the fetus and neonatal calves fell within a narrow range (longissimus: 0.92–1.68 g 100 g −1 wet muscle mass; supraspinatus: 0.88–1.64 g 100 g −1 wet muscle mass). By 3 months post-partum, myoglobin in the longissimus increased by 79%, but levels in the supraspinatus remained unaltered. From 3 months post-partum to adulthood, myoglobin increased by an additional 26% in the longissimus and increased by 126% in the supraspinatus; myoglobin remained greater in the longissimus compared with the supraspinatus. Walruses are unique among marine mammals because they are born with a mature muscle acid-buffering capacity and attain mature myoglobin content early in life. Despite rapid physiological development, small body size limits the diving capacity of immature walruses and extreme sexual dimorphism reduces the diving capacity of adult females compared with adult males. Thus, free-ranging immature walruses likely exhibit the shortest foraging dives while adult males are capable of the longest foraging dives.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS1988

Empirical estimates of body drag of large waterfowl and raptors

Measurements of the body frontal area of some large living waterfowl (Anatidae) and raptors (Falconiformes) were found to vary with the two-thirds power of the body mass, with no distinction between the two groups. Wind tunnel measurements on frozen bodies gave drag coefficients ranging from 0·25 to 0·39, in the Reynolds number range 145 000 to 462000. Combining these observations with those of Prior (1984) , which extended to lower Reynolds numbers, a practical rule is proposed for choosing a value of the body drag coefficient for use in performance estimates.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS1988

Wind tunnel experiments to assess the effect of back-mounted radio transmitters on bird body drag

The aerodynamic drag of bird bodies was measured in a wind tunnel, with and without back-mounted dummy radio transmitters. Flight performance estimates indicate that the drag of a large transmitter can cause a substantial reduction of a migrant’s range, that is, the distance it can cover in non-stop flight. The drag of the transmitter can be reduced by arranging the components in an elongated shape, so minimizing the frontal area. The addition of a rounded fairing to the front end, and a pointed fairing behind, was found to reduce the drag of the transmitter by about one-third, as compared with an unfaired rectangular box.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS1989

Climbing performance of Harris' hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus) with added load: Implications for muscle mechanics and for radiotracking

Two Harris’ hawks were trained to fly along horizontal and climbing flight paths, while carrying loads of various masses, to provide data for estimating available muscle power during short flights. The body mass of both hawks was about 920g, and they were able to carry loads up to 630 g in horizontal flight. The rate of climb decreased with increasing all-up mass, as also did the climbing power (product of weight and rate of climb). Various assumptions about the aerodynamic power in low-speed climbs led to estimates of the maximum power output of the flight muscles ranging from 41 to 46 W. This, in turn, would imply a stress during shortening of around 210 kPa. The effects of a radio package on a bird that is raising young should be considered in relation to the food load that the forager can normally carry, rather than in relation to its body mass.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2016

Evidence for partial overlap of male olfactory cues in lampreys

Animals rely on a mosaic of complex information to find and evaluate mates. Pheromones, often comprised of multiple components, are considered to be particularly important for species-recognition in many species. While the evolution of species-specific pheromone blends is well-described in many insects, very few vertebrate pheromones have been studied in a macro-evolutionary context. Here, we report a phylogenetic comparison of multi-component male odours that guide reproduction in lampreys. Chemical profiling of sexually mature males from eleven species of lamprey, representing six of ten genera and two of three families, indicated the chemical profiles of sexually mature male odours are partially shared among species. Behavioural assays conducted with four species sympatric in the Laurentian Great Lakes indicated asymmetric female responses to heterospecific odours, where Petromyzon marinus were attracted to male odour collected from all species tested but other species generally preferred only the odour of conspecifics. Electro-olfactogram recordings from P. marinus indicated that although P. marinus exhibited behavioural responses to odours from males of all species, at least some of the compounds that elicited olfactory responses were different in conspecific male odours compared to heterospecific male odours. We conclude that some of the compounds released by sexually mature males are shared among species and elicit olfactory and behavioural responses in P. marinus , and suggest that our results provide evidence for partial overlap of male olfactory cues among lampreys. Further characterization of the chemical identities of odour components is needed to confirm shared pheromones among species.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2017

Upper thermal limits of growth in brook trout and their relationship to stress physiology

Despite the threat of climate change, the physiological mechanisms responsible for reduced performance at high temperatures remain unclear for most species. Elevated but sublethal temperatures may act via endocrine and cellular stress responses to limit performance in important life-history traits such as growth. Here, brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) subjected to chronically elevated or daily oscillating temperatures were monitored for growth and physiological stress responses. Growth rate decreased at temperatures above 16°C and was negative at 24°C, with an estimated upper limit for positive growth of 23.4°C. Plasma cortisol increased with temperature and was 12- and 18-fold higher at 22 and 24°C, respectively, than at 16°C, whereas plasma glucose was unaffected by temperature. Abundance of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the gill increased with temperature and was 11- and 56-fold higher at 22°C and 24°C, respectively, than at 16°C. There was no relationship between temperature and plasma Cl − , but there was a 53% and 80% decrease in gill Na + /K + -ATPase activity and abundance at 24°C in comparison with 16°C. Daily temperature oscillations of 4°C or 8°C (19–23°C or 17–25°C) were compared with 21°C controls. Growth rate decreased with temperature and was 43% and 35% lower by length and mass, respectively, in the 8°C daily oscillation treatment than in the controls. There was no effect of temperature oscillation on plasma cortisol or glucose levels. In contrast, gill HSP70 abundance increased with increasing daily oscillation and was 40- and 700-fold greater at 4°C and 8°C daily oscillation, respectively, than in the constant temperature controls. In individuals exposed to 17–25°C diel oscillations for 4 days and then allowed to recover at 21°C, gill HSP70 abundance was still elevated after 4 days recovery, but not after 10 days. Our results demonstrate that elevated temperatures induce cellular and endocrine stress responses and provide a possible mechanism by which growth is limited at elevated temperatures. Temperature limitations on growth may play a role in driving brook trout distributions in the wild.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS1992

Walking of the shore crab Pachygrapsis crassipes in its two natural environments

Video analyses of crabs walking on smooth and rocky terrains when in air and when submerged in water were conducted. Modifications of walking in the two environments, between which the animal’s weight changes sixfold, are consistent with the goals of maximizing ease of walking and minimizing risk of injury. The duty factor (fraction of step cycle in which the dactylus is in contact with the substratum) was greater than 50 % when in air compared to less than 46 % when submerged, indicating a need for greater stability against the destabilizing vertical force of gravity when in air. The duty factors of the trailing and leading leg rows were the same for the two terrains in air but the trailing leg row had a larger duty factor when submerged, indicating a greater pushing effort to overcome drag forces. Width of stance differed among the four conditions and was narrowest in animals walking over rocky terrain in air, the condition which has the greatest potential for injury. The mean phase difference (percentage of a step cycle by which ipsilateral legs differ) between leading and trailing rows did not differ under any condition except for submerged smooth terrain, meeting the unique requirements of that condition. The observed walking speed range had no effect on stance, duty factor or phase difference.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2018

Reduced thermal tolerance during salinity acclimation in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) can be rescued by prior treatment with cortisol

The aims of this study were to assess whether thermal tolerance of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) is affected during seawater (SW) acclimation and to investigate the role of cortisol in osmoregulation and thermal tolerance during SW acclimation. Freshwater (FW)-acclimated brook trout at 18°C ( T acc ) were exposed to SW for 16 days, whilst maintaining a FW control. Fish were examined for critical thermal maximum (CT max ) 0 (before), 2, 5 and 16 days after SW exposure, and sampled at T acc and CT max for analysis of plasma cortisol, glucose and Cl − , gill Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA) activity and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) abundance, and white muscle water content. At 2 days in SW, CT max was significantly reduced (from 31 to 26°C), and then recovered by 16 days. This transient decrease in thermal tolerance coincided with a transient increase in plasma Cl − and decrease in muscle moisture content. Salinity itself had no effect on gill HSP70 abundance compared with the large and immediate effects of high temperature exposure during CT max testing. To examine the role of cortisol in osmoregulation, brook trout were administered a cortisol implant (5 and 25 μg g −1 CORT) prior to SW exposure. Both CORT doses significantly increased their capacity to maintain plasma Cl − during SW acclimation. Treatment with the 25 μg g −1 CORT dose was shown to significantly improve CT max after 2 days in SW, and CT max was associated with plasma Cl − and muscle moisture content. These findings indicate that brook trout are sensitive to temperature during SW acclimation and that thermal tolerance is associated with ion and water balance during SW acclimation.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2018

Energetic costs of locomotion in bears: is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical?

Ursids are the largest mammals to retain a plantigrade posture. This primitive posture has been proposed to result in reduced locomotor speed and economy relative to digitigrade and unguligrade species, particularly at high speeds. Previous energetics research on polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) found locomotor costs were more than double predictions for similarly sized quadrupedal mammals, which could be a result of their plantigrade posture or due to adaptations to their Arctic marine existence. To evaluate whether polar bears are representative of terrestrial ursids or distinctly uneconomical walkers, this study measured the mass-specific metabolism, overall dynamic body acceleration, and gait kinematics of polar bears and grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos ) trained to rest and walk on a treadmill. At routine walking speeds, we found polar bears and grizzly bears exhibited similar costs of locomotion and gait kinematics, but differing measures of overall dynamic body acceleration. Minimum cost of transport while walking in the two species (2.21 J kg −1 m −1 ) was comparable to predictions for similarly sized quadrupedal mammals, but these costs doubled (4.42 J kg −1 m −1 ) at speeds ≥5.4 km h −1 . Similar to humans, another large plantigrade mammal, bears appear to exhibit a greater economy while moving at slow speeds.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS1999

Time course of salinity adaptation a strongly euryhaline estuarine teleost, Fundulus Heteroclitus: A multivariable approach

Freshwater-adapted killifish ( Fundulus heteroclitus ) were transferred directly from soft fresh water to full-strength sea water for periods of 1 h, 3 h, 8 h and 1, 2, 7, 14 and 30 days. Controls were transferred to fresh water for 24 h. Measured variables included: blood [Na + ], osmolality, glucose and cortisol levels, basal and stimulated rates of ion transport and permeability of in vitro opercular epithelium, gill Na + /K + -ATPase and citrate synthase activity and chloride cell ultrastructure. These data were compared with previously published killifish cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (kfCFTR) expression in the gills measured over a similar time course. Plasma cortisol levels peaked at 1 h, coincident with a rise in plasma [Na + ]. At 8 h after transfer to sea water, a time at which previous work has shown kfCFTR expression to be elevated, blood osmolality and [Na + ] were high, and cortisol levels and opercular membrane short-circuit current ( I sc ; a measure of Cl − secretion rate) were low. The 24 h group, which showed the highest level of kfCFTR expression, had the highest plasma [Na + ] and osmolality, elevated plasma cortisol levels, significantly lower opercular membrane resistance, an increased opercular membrane ion secretion rate and collapsed tubule inclusions in mitochondria-rich cells, but no change in gill Na + /K + -ATPase and citrate synthase activity or plasma glucose levels. Apparently, killifish have a rapid (<1 h) cortisol response to salinity coupled to subsequent (8–48 h) expression of kfCFTR anion channel proteins in existing mitochondria-rich cells that convert transport from ion uptake to ion secretion.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS1999

The diving physiology of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). III. Thermoregulation at depth

During diving, marine mammals initiate a series of cardiovascular changes that include bradycardia and decreased peripheral circulation. Because heat transfer from thermal windows located in peripheral sites of these mammals depends on blood flow, such adjustments may limit their thermoregulatory capabilities during submergence. Here, we demonstrate how the thermoregulatory responses of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) are coordinated with the diving response. Heart rate, skin temperature and heat transfer from the dorsal fin and flank were measured while dolphins rested on the water surface, stationed 5–50 m under water and floated at the surface immediately following a dive. The results showed that heat flow ranged from 42.9±7.3 to 126.2±23.1 W m −2 and varied with anatomical site and diving activity. Upon submergence, heat flow declined by 35 % from the dorsal fin and by 24 % from the flank. An immediate increase in heat flow to levels exceeding pre-dive values occurred at both sites upon resurfacing. Changes in heart rate during diving paralleled the thermoregulatory responses. Mean pre-dive heart rate (102.0±2.6 beats min −1 , N =26) decreased by 63.4 % during dives to 50 m and immediately returned to near resting levels upon resurfacing. These studies indicate that heat dissipation by dolphins is attenuated during diving. Rather than challenge the diving response, heat transfer is delayed until post-dive periods when the need for oxygen conservation is reduced.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2020

Cortisol is an osmoregulatory and glucose-regulating hormone in Atlantic sturgeon, a basal ray-finned fish

Our current understanding of the hormonal control of ion regulation in aquatic vertebrates comes primarily from studies on teleost fishes, with relatively little information on more basal fishes. We investigated the role of cortisol in regulating seawater tolerance and its underlying mechanisms in an anadromous chondrostean, the Atlantic sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus ). Exposure of freshwater-reared Atlantic sturgeon to seawater (25 ppt) resulted in transient (1–3 day) increases in plasma chloride, cortisol and glucose levels and long-term (6–14 day) increases in the abundance of gill Na + /K + /2Cl − cotransporter (NKCC), which plays a critical role in salt secretion in teleosts. The abundance of gill V-type H + -ATPase, which is thought to play a role in ion uptake in fishes, decreased after exposure to seawater. Gill Na + /K + -ATPase activity did not increase in 25 ppt seawater, but did increase in fish gradually acclimated to 30 ppt. Treatment of Atlantic sturgeon in freshwater with exogenous cortisol resulted in dose-dependent increases in cortisol, glucose and gill NKCC and H + -ATPase abundance. Our results indicate that cortisol has an important role in regulating mechanisms for ion secretion and uptake in sturgeon and provide support for the hypothesis that control of osmoregulation and glucose by corticosteroids is a basal trait of jawed vertebrates.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2020

Nest predation and adult mortality relationships with post-natal metabolic rates and growth among songbird species

Metabolism is thought to mediate the connection between environmental selection pressures and a broad array of life history tradeoffs, but tests are needed. High juvenile predation correlates with fast growth, which may be achieved via fast juvenile metabolism. Fast offspring metabolism and growth can create physiological costs later in life that should be minimized in species with low adult mortality. Yet, relationships between juvenile metabolism and mortality at offspring versus adult stages are unexplored. We found that post-natal metabolism was positively correlated with adult mortality but not nest predation rates among 43 songbird species on three continents. Nest predation, but not adult mortality, explained additional variation in growth rates beyond metabolism. Our results suggest that metabolism may not be the mechanism underlying the relationships between growth and mortality at different life stages.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2021

Quantifying energetic costs and defining energy landscapes experienced by grizzly bears

Animal movements are major determinants of energy expenditure and ultimately the cost–benefit of landscape use. Thus, we sought to understand those costs and how grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos ) move in mountainous landscapes. We trained captive grizzly bears to walk on a horizontal treadmill and up and down 10% and 20% slopes. The cost of moving upslope increased linearly with speed and slope angle, and this was more costly than moving horizontally. The cost of downslope travel at slower speeds was greater than the cost of traveling horizontally but appeared to decrease at higher speeds. The most efficient walking speed that minimized cost per unit distance was 1.19±0.11 m s −1 . However, grizzly bears fitted with GPS collars in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem moved at an average velocity of 0.61±0.28 m s −1 and preferred to travel on near-horizontal slopes at twice their occurrence. When traveling uphill or downhill, grizzly bears chose paths across all slopes that were ∼54% less steep and costly than the maximum available slope. The net costs (J kg −1 m −1 ) of moving horizontally and uphill were the same for grizzly bears, humans and digitigrade carnivores, but those costs were 46% higher than movement costs for ungulates. These movement costs and characteristics of landscape use determined using captive and wild grizzly bears were used to understand the strategies that grizzly bears use for preying on large ungulates and the similarities in travel between people and grizzly bears that might affect the risk of encountering each other on shared landscapes.

Wyoming↗
USGS2021

11-Deoxycortisol is a stress responsive and gluconeogenic hormone in the jawless vertebrate, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

Although corticosteroid-mediated hepatic gluconeogenic activity in response to stress has been extensively studied in fishes and other vertebrates, there is little information on the stress response in basal vertebrates. In sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ), a representative member of the most basal extant vertebrate group Agnatha, 11-deoxycortisol and deoxycorticosterone are the major circulating corticosteroids. The present study examined changes in circulating glucose and 11-deoxycortisol concentrations in response to a physical stressor. Furthermore, the gluconeogenic actions of 11-deoxycortisol and deoxycorticosterone were examined. Within 6 h of exposure of larval and juvenile sea lamprey to an acute handling stress, plasma 11-deoxycortisol levels increased 15- and 6-fold, respectively, and plasma glucose increased 3- and 4-fold, respectively. Radiometric receptor binding studies revealed that a corticosteroid receptor (CR) is present in the liver at lower abundance than in other tissues (gill and anterior intestine) and that the binding affinity of the liver CR was similar for 11-deoxycortisol and deoxycorticosterone. Transcriptional tissue profiles indicate a wide distribution of cr transcription, kidney-specific transcription of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein ( star ) and liver-specific transcription of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase ( pepck ). Ex vivo incubation of liver tissue with 11-deoxycortisol resulted in dose-dependent increases in pepck mRNA levels. Finally, intraperitoneal administration of 11-deoxycortisol and deoxycorticosterone demonstrated that only 11-deoxycortisol resulted in an increase in plasma glucose. Together, these results provide the first direct evidence for the gluconeogenic activity of 11-deoxycortisol in an agnathan, indicating that corticosteroid regulation of plasma glucose is a basal trait among vertebrates.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2021

Rapid embryonic development supports the early onset of gill functions in two coral reef damselfishes

The gill is one of the most important organs for growth and survival of fishes. Early life stages in coral reef fishes often exhibit extreme physiological and demographic characteristics that are linked to well-established respiratory and ionoregulatory processes. However, gill development and function in coral reef fishes is not well-understood. Therefore, we investigated gill morphology, oxygen uptake, and ionoregulatory systems throughout embryogenesis in two coral reef damselfishes, Acanthochromis polyacanthus and Amphiprion melanopus (Pomacentridae). In both species, we found key gill structures to develop rapidly early in the embryonic phase. Ionoregulatory cells appear on gill filaments 3-4 days post fertilization and increase in density, whilst disappearing or shrinking in cutaneous locations. Primary respiratory tissue (lamellae) appears 5-7 days post fertilization, coinciding with a peak in oxygen uptake rates of the developing embryos. Oxygen uptake was unaffected by phenylhydrazine across all ages (pre-hatch), indicating that haemoglobin is not yet required for oxygen uptake. This suggests that gills have limited contribution to respiratory functions during embryonic development, at least until hatching. Rapid gill development in damselfishes, when compared to most of the previously investigated fishes, may reflect preparations for a high-performance, challenging lifestyle on tropical reefs, but may also make reef fishes more vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2021

Subsurface swimming and stationary diving are metabolically cheap in adult Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)

Walruses rely on sea-ice to efficiently forage and rest between diving bouts while maintaining proximity to prime foraging habitat. Recent declines in summer sea ice have resulted in walruses hauling out on land where they have to travel farther to access productive benthic habitat while potentially increasing energetic costs. Despite the need to better understand the impact of sea ice loss on energy expenditure, knowledge about metabolic demands of specific behaviours in walruses is scarce. In the present study, 3 adult female Pacific walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ) housed in professional care participated in flow-through respirometry trials to measure metabolic rates while floating inactive at the water surface during a minimum of 5 min, during a 180 s stationary dive, and while swimming ∼90 m horizontally underwater. Metabolic rates during stationary dives (3.82±0.56 l O 2 min −1 ) were lower than those measured at the water surface (4.64±1.04 l O 2 min −1 ), which did not differ from rates measured during subsurface swimming (4.91±0.77 l O 2 min −1 ). Thus, neither stationary diving nor subsurface swimming resulted in metabolic rates above those exhibited by walruses at the water surface. These results suggest that walruses minimize their energetic investment during underwater behaviours as reported for other marine mammals. Although environmental factors experienced by free-ranging walruses (e.g. winds or currents) likely affect metabolic rates, our results provide important information for understanding how behavioural changes affect energetic costs and can be used to improve bioenergetics models aimed at predicting the metabolic consequences of climate change on walruses.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗
USGS2022

Underwater hearing in sea ducks with applications for reducing gillnet bycatch through acoustic deterrence

As diving foragers, sea ducks are vulnerable to underwater anthropogenic activity, including ships, underwater construction, seismic surveys and gillnet fisheries. Bycatch in gillnets is a contributing source of mortality for sea ducks, killing hundreds of thousands of individuals annually. We researched underwater hearing in sea duck species to increase knowledge of underwater avian acoustic sensitivity and to assist with possible development of gillnet bycatch mitigation strategies that include auditory deterrent devices. We used both psychoacoustic and electrophysiological techniques to investigate underwater duck hearing in several species including the long-tailed duck ( Clangula hyemalis ), surf scoter ( Melanitta perspicillata ) and common eider ( Somateria mollissima ). Psychoacoustic results demonstrated that all species tested share a common range of maximum auditory sensitivity of 1.0–3.0 kHz, with the long-tailed ducks and common eiders at the high end of that range (2.96 kHz), and surf scoters at the low end (1.0 kHz). In addition, our electrophysiological results from 4 surf scoters and 2 long-tailed ducks, while only tested at 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz, generally agree with the audiogram shape from our psychoacoustic testing. The results from this study are applicable to the development of effective acoustic deterrent devices or pingers in the 2–3 kHz range to deter sea ducks from anthropogenic threats.

Journal of Experimental Biology↗