Thermoregulation and roosting behaviour of reproductive and nonreproductive female western long-eared bats (Myotis evotis) in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald I. Solick ◽  
Robert M.R. Barclay
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
Fetal Development ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Temperate Zone ◽  
Body Temperatures ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Data Loggers ◽  
Reproductive Females

Entering torpor can yield significant energy savings for temperate-zone bats but can be costly for reproductive females by slowing fetal development and reducing milk production. We studied western long-eared bats (Myotis evotis (H. Allen, 1864)) in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta to test the hypothesis that different costs of torpor result in different patterns of thermoregulation and roosting behaviour for reproductive and nonreproductive females. We radio-tracked bats to monitor body temperatures and locate roosts. We took roost measurements and inserted temperature data loggers to measure roost microclimate. Bats entered torpor frequently, but nonreproductive females spent longer periods in torpor, had lower minimum body temperatures, and entered deep torpor more often than reproductive females did, supporting the hypothesis that entering torpor is more costly for reproductive individuals. Roosts were located mainly in rock fields on steep, open, south-facing slopes. Reproductive females roosted in crevices between rocks located above or on the surface of the ground. Roosts warmed rapidly and reached warm daytime temperatures. Females roosted alone during pregnancy but formed small colonies within roosts during lactation when ambient conditions were cooler. Clustering may reduce thermoregulatory costs for both adults and young. Nonreproductive females roosted mainly alone in crevices in the ground. These roosts had cooler, more stable microclimates, allowing females to enter deeper bouts of torpor and remain torpid longer.

Skin and abdominal temperatures recorded by data loggers attached to Merino sheep voluntarily staying out of shade

1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 781 ◽  
Author(s):  
CM Sherwin ◽  
KG Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Dorsal Surface ◽  
Diurnal Rhythms ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Body Temperatures ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Data Loggers ◽  
Thermal Status ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Skin Temperatures

To investigate individual differences in thermal status of sheep during voluntary shading, a method of recording body temperatures was developed using data loggers attached to free-ranging animals. During summer, recordings were made of body temperatures of Merino wethers grazing irrigated pasture. Despite shade being readily accessible, the sheep voluntarily stayed in the sun throughout the day. Twenty, 24-h records of intra-abdominal temperature and 12 of concurrent skin temperature were obtained. Both core and skin temperatures exhibited diurnal rhythms influenced by ambient conditions. Short-term fluctuations without obvious cause also occurred in both body temperatures. Skin temperatures of the dorsal surface were considerably higher than previously reported. Core temperatures of sheep voluntarily staying in the sun were not hyperthermic. The maximum 24-h range in intra-abdominal temperature (i.e. 1.9�C) does not support previous data (Bligh and Harthoorn 1965) that indicated sheep might be more thermostable than other mammalian species. The effective heat load and thermal displacement were apparently insufficient to cause the sheep to seek shade in competition with other factors influencing their behaviour.

Bats under a hot tin roof: comparing the microclimate of eastern cave bat (Vespadelus troughtoni) roosts in a shed and cave overhangs

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. S. Law ◽  
M. Chidel
Keyword(s):  
Energy Savings ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Lactating Females ◽  
Summer Temperatures ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Maternity Roost ◽  
Diurnal Temperatures ◽  
Microclimate Conditions

We compared the microclimate experienced by maternity groups of eastern cave bats (Vespadelus troughtoni) in northern New South Wales between roosts in overhang caves versus a nearby maternity roost beneath the corrugated iron roof of a farm shed. The shed’s microclimate differed dramatically from that of the caves. Caves provided well-buffered microclimate conditions, which were cooler and more humid than ambient conditions during the day, but were warmer and less humid than ambient at night. Early summer temperatures remained between 20 and 25°C in the maternity caves. In contrast, the microclimate at the shed was not buffered, with conditions varying enormously over a 24-h period, being hotter than ambient during the day (mean = 30°C, maximum = 40°C in the middle of the day), and similar to ambient at night (mean = 18°C at dawn). Rather than selecting thermal stability, lactating females selected warm, but variable, diurnal temperatures in the shed, presumably to sustain lactation. Under this situation, we estimated considerable energetic savings by roosting in the shed (27–35%, assuming normothermia) compared with that for caves, and even higher savings if bats were torpid in the mornings and passively rewarmed later (60–69%). Lactating bats therefore presumably traded-off the cost of leaving juveniles behind in a cool roost at night with these energetic benefits. In late autumn bats continued to roost in the shed with day temperatures rising above 30°C, compared with unoccupied caves, which were considerably cooler at this time (~20°C). Clarification of the estimated energy savings and the possible costs in terms of milk production requires further research to measure concurrently body temperatures, roost temperature and energy expenditure, together with juvenile growth in different types of roosts.

scholarly journals NORPERM, the Norwegian Permafrost Database – a TSP NORWAY IPY legacy

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Juliussen ◽  
H. H. Christiansen ◽  
G. S. Strand ◽  
S. Iversen ◽  
K. Midttømme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal State ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Ground Temperature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Project ◽  
International Polar Year ◽  
Standard Format ◽  
Data Infrastructure ◽  
Data Loggers

Abstract. NORPERM – The Norwegian Permafrost Database was developed at the Geological Survey of Norway during the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2009 as the main data legacy of the IPY research project Permafrost Observatory Project: A Contribution to the Thermal State of Permafrost in Norway and Svalbard (TSP NORWAY). This paper describes the structural and technical design of NORPERM. NORPERM follows the IPY data policy of open, free, full and timely release of IPY data, and the borehole metadata description follows the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P) standard. The ground temperature data infrastructure in Norway and Svalbard is also presented, focussing on the TSP NORWAY permafrost observatory installations in the North Scandinavian Permafrost Observatory and Nordenskiöld Land Permafrost Observatory, as the data providers for NORPERM. Further developments of the database, possibly towards a regional database for the Nordic area, are also discussed. The purpose of NORPERM is to store ground temperature data safely and in a standard format for use in future research. NORPERM stores temperature time series from various depths in boreholes and from the air, snow cover, ground-surface or upper ground layer recorded by miniature temperature data-loggers, and temperature profiles with depth in boreholes obtained by occasional manual logging. It contains all the temperature data from the TSP NORWAY research project, totalling 32 boreholes and 98 sites with miniature temperature data-loggers for continuous monitoring of micrometeorological conditions, and 6 temperature depth profiles obtained by manual borehole logging. The amount of data in the database will gradually increase as data from older, previous projects are added. NORPERM also provides links to near real-time permafrost temperatures obtained by GSM data transfer.

scholarly journals Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus alters placental structure, efficiency, and plasticity

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e001243
Author(s):  
Jackson Nteeba ◽  
Kaela M Varberg ◽  
Regan L Scott ◽  
Mikaela E Simon ◽  
Khursheed Iqbal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Fetal Development ◽  
Trophoblast Invasion ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Placental Development ◽  
Junctional Zone ◽  
Pregnant Rat ◽  
Elevated Glucose ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionThe hemochorial placenta provides a critical barrier at the maternal–fetal interface to modulate maternal immune tolerance and enable gas and nutrient exchange between mother and conceptus. Pregnancy outcomes are adversely affected by diabetes mellitus; however, the effects of poorly controlled diabetes on placental formation, and subsequently fetal development, are not fully understood.Research design and methodsStreptozotocin was used to induce hyperglycemia in pregnant rats for the purpose of investigating the impact of poorly controlled diabetes on placental formation and fetal development. The experimental paradigm of hypoxia exposure in the pregnant rat was also used to assess properties of placental plasticity. Euglycemic and hyperglycemic rats were exposed to ambient conditions (~21% oxygen) or hypoxia (10.5% oxygen) beginning on gestation day (gd) 6.5 and sacrificed on gd 13.5. To determine whether the interaction of hyperglycemia and hypoxia was directly altering trophoblast lineage development, rat trophoblast stem (TS) cells were cultured in high glucose (25 mM) and/or exposed to low oxygen (0.5% to 1.5%).ResultsDiabetes caused placentomegaly and placental malformation, decreasing placental efficiency and fetal size. Elevated glucose disrupted rat TS cell differentiation in vitro. Evidence of altered trophoblast differentiation was also observed in vivo, as hyperglycemia affected the junctional zone transcriptome and interfered with intrauterine trophoblast invasion and uterine spiral artery remodeling. When exposed to hypoxia, hyperglycemic rats showed decreased proliferation and ectoplacental cone development on gd 9.5 and complete pregnancy loss by gd 13.5. Furthermore, elevated glucose concentrations inhibited TS cell responses to hypoxia in vitro.ConclusionsOverall, these results indicate that alterations in placental development, efficiency, and plasticity could contribute to the suboptimal fetal outcomes in offspring from pregnancies complicated by poorly controlled diabetes.

Some Studies on Energy Savings in Sponge Iron Plants

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. K. Biswas ◽  
S. R. Asthana ◽  
V. G. Rau
Keyword(s):  
Rotary Kiln ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Sponge Iron ◽  
Mechanical Seal ◽  
Transfer Rates ◽  
Handling System ◽  
Water Handling ◽  
Air Jet ◽  
Atomized Water

This paper presents the potential for energy savings in various capacity sponge iron plants by estimating heat transfer rates using stabilized and optimized temperature data within the rotary kiln/reactor. Air jet seal instead of mechanical seal arrangements at specific locations in the rotary kiln and cooler are proposed and this is shown to reduce the power consumption and the size of the centralized grease lubricating system. The paper proposes atomized water spray on the post combustion chamber instead of larger droplets to reduce the size of the water handling system, thereby saving energy. The paper also suggests optimization of the performance of a pneumatic coal injector by optimizing coal and air quantities.

Activity levels of enzymes of energy metabolism in heart and red muscle are higher in north-temperate-zone than in Amazonian teleosts

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 690-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
J L West ◽  
J R Bailey ◽  
VMF Almeida-Val ◽  
A L Val ◽  
B D Sidell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid Metabolism ◽  
Acid Metabolism ◽  
Citrate Synthase ◽  
Temperate Zone ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Body Temperatures ◽  
Astronotus Ocellatus ◽  
Red Muscle

Fish living in the Amazon basin typically have body temperatures of about 30°C, whereas freshwater fishes of the north-temperate zone are eurythermal, with typical body temperatures of 10-20°C in summer. Enzyme activity levels in heart and red muscle of Amazonian species, which display various physiological mechanisms for dealing with hypoxic conditions, were compared with those in north-temperate-zone species. Five Amazonian species (acará-açu (Astronotus ocellatus), acari-bodó (Lipossarcus pardalis), tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), tamoatá (Hoplosternum littorale), and pirarucu (Arapaima gigas)) and four north-temperate-zone species (American eel, bullhead, yellow perch, and rainbow trout) were studied. The Amazonian species included obligate and facultative air breathers. Activities of key indicator enzymes associated with carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, the citric acid cycle, and the electron-transport chain were determined. There was no obvious correlation between cardiac enzyme activity levels and the potential ability of fish to maintain blood oxygen levels in hypoxic water or the capacity of isolated heart preparations to survive anoxia. In heart, activity levels of hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, cytochrome oxidase, and β-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase were about twice as high in north-temperate-zone species than in Amazonian species. Activities of red-muscle enzymes, especially those associated with aerobic fatty acid metabolism, were significantly higher in comparable north-temperate-zone species relative to Amazonian species. Increased enzyme activity levels in north-temperate-zone species relative to Amazonian species is considered to be an adaptation to generally lower body temperatures. This finding is consistent with earlier comparisions of Antarctic and north-temperate-zone species and with the results of studies of cold acclimation within north-temperate-zone fishes.

scholarly journals Analysis of Variability in Curing Conditions and Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines Within Barns of Dark Air-Cured Tobacco

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-14
Author(s):  
Mitchell D. Richmond ◽  
Robert C. Pearce ◽  
Ben M. Goff ◽  
William A. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Individual Data ◽  
Data Logger ◽  
Curing Conditions ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Data Loggers ◽  
Variety Selection ◽  
Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines

Significant variability in cured-leaf tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA) content is commonly observed when sampling within dark air-curing barns. This variability may be due to inconsistency in the curing environment within different areas of the barn. A study was initiated in 2012, through support from a CORESTA Study Grant, to evaluate if cured-leaf TSNA content is related to microenvironmental conditions in the barn. Low-converter (TRsc) and high-converter (TRHC) selections of TR Madole dark tobacco were air cured in barns near Princeton and Lexington, KY. Temperature and relative humidity were measured with data loggers placed at 27 different locations within each barn for the duration of curing. There were no significant effects of individual data logger placement in either variety selection on hours above 24°C temperature, hours above 80% relative humidity, or TSNA; therefore, we investigated these data within the 3-dimensional aspects of tier, room, and bent within each barn. There were various effects of tier, room, and bent on temperature, relative humidity, and TSNA. Temperature data followed an understandable pattern across tiers in the barn within each year and location; however, relative humidity and TSNA were more difficult to characterize adequately. There was a significant relationship between hours above 24°C and TSNA, but not hours above 80% relative humidity. This study has shown that the effect of within-barn position on TSNA cannot be easily predicted.

scholarly journals Challenges and Best Practices for Deriving Temperature Data from an Uncalibrated UAV Thermal Infrared Camera

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Kelly ◽  
Natascha Kljun ◽  
Per-Ola Olsson ◽  
Laura Mihai ◽  
Bengt Liljeblad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Thermal Infrared ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Temperature Dependency ◽  
Cost Models ◽  
Radiometric Calibration ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Temperature Drift ◽  
Measure Surface Temperature

Miniaturized thermal infrared (TIR) cameras that measure surface temperature are increasingly available for use with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, deriving accurate temperature data from these cameras is non-trivialsince they are highly sensitive to changes in their internal temperature and low-cost models are often not radiometrically calibrated. We present the results of laboratory and field experiments that tested the extent of the temperature-dependency of a non-radiometric FLIR Vue Pro 640. We found that a simple empirical line calibration using at least three ground calibration points was sufficient to convert camera digital numbers to temperature values for images captured during UAV flight. Although the camera performed well under stable laboratory conditions (accuracy ±0.5 °C), the accuracy declined to ±5 °C under the changing ambient conditions experienced during UAV flight. The poor performance resulted from the non-linear relationship between camera output and sensor temperature, which was affected by wind and temperature-drift during flight. The camera’s automated non-uniformity correction (NUC) could not sufficiently correct for these effects. Prominent vignetting was also visible in images captured under both stable and changing ambient conditions. The inconsistencies in camera output over time and across the sensor will affect camera applications based on relative temperature differences as well as user-generated radiometric calibration. Based on our findings, we present a set of best practices for UAV TIR camera sampling to minimize the impacts of the temperature dependency of these systems.

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