SEASONAL ACCLIMATIZATION IN WILD RATS (RATUS NORVEGICUS)

1963 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 711-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Hart ◽  
O. Heroux

Wild rats were collected from dumps at Cornwall, Ontario, and Kingston, Ontario, during summer and winter, and oxygen consumption was measured at various temperatures from 30 °C to −61 °C. Oxygen consumption varied with body weight0.83 over a size range of 100 to 400 g and was slightly but significantly higher for males than for females. The relation of oxygen consumption to temperature was similar in rats collected during summer and winter over the temperature range from 20° to about −10 °C but at lower and higher temperatures winter rats had higher metabolic rates. When tested at −40° the oxygen consumption of winter-caught rats was maintained for at least 50 minutes while that of the summer-caught rats declined progressively. It is concluded that wild rats exhibit a metabolic acclimatization to seasonal changes in their environment.

1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. Stephens

SUMMARY1. The metabolic rates of 58 individual piglets kept either on a straw or on a concrete floor at ambient temperatures near to 10°, 20° or 30°C have been measured with ages ranging from newborn to 9 days, and body weight from 1·0 to 3·2 kg. The oxygen consumption was measured on each floor material at the chosen ambient temperature thus allowing paired comparisons for each animal.2. In comparison with the concrete floor, oxygen consumption on straw was reduced by 18% at 10°C, 27% at 20°C and by 12% at 30°C for pigs 2 to 9 days old. The regression coefficients of mean log (oxygen consumption) on log (body weight) were around 0·66 at 10° and 20°C. At 30°C the value was 0·99 ± 0·14. The regression coefficients were not significantly affected by the presence of a straw floor showing that its effect did not vary with body weight. Corresponding values foi piglets below 24 hours of age were 17% at 10°C, 27% at 20°C and 22% at 30°C ambient temperature.3. Moving a piglet on to a straw floor at 10°C had the same thermal effect as raising the ambient temperature to 18°C. Similar treatment at 30°C was equivalent to raising the ambient temperature to 32°C.4. Lowering ambient temperature to increase the temperature gradient between the homeothermic body of the piglet and the environment progressively increased heat loss in all cases. There was a concomitant decrease in the calculated conductance between core and environment which was more pronounced for the piglets lying on the concrete floor.


1982 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1012-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Sullivan ◽  
Kenneth L. Smith Jr.

We measured respiration, growth, ingestion, and excretion rates for sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, collected off southern California at a depth of 500 m and maintained in the laboratory. We also measured the water, protein, and lipid content of white skeletal muscle in both laboratory-held and field fish. Sablefish fed a large ration (14% of wet body weight) every 7–10 d showed growth rates two to three times higher than known growth rates for field fish. On a reduced ration (4% of wet body weight) sablefish grew at rates similar to field fish, but white muscle composition varied significantly from field fish. Oxygen consumption rates under constant temperature conditions showed a decrease in the weight-specific oxygen consumption rates with increase in body weight, ranging from routine metabolic rates of 195.8 mg O2∙kg−1∙h−1 for a 0.25-kg fish to 60.8 mg O2∙kg−1∙h−1 for a 2.78-kg fish. Based on measurements of respiration and excretion, sablefish were estimated to have 162 d of energy stored in the body lipids and did not show signs of starvation stress with food deprivation up to 6 mo in the laboratory. Energy allocation shows very slow growth rates, low conversion efficiencies, and low metabolic rates as adjustments made to large, infrequent meals.Key words: physiological responses, benthopelagic fish, growth, metabolic rate, respiration, excretion


1951 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. ELLENBY

1. Male Ligia oceanica were used in an investigation of the relationship of body size to rate of oxygen consumption and pleopod beat. 2. Animals varied in weight from 0.04 to 1.03 g. and from 0.95 to 3.1 cm. in length. 3. Body shape does not change significantly over the size range, for length and breadth both increase at the same rate, and pleopod dimensions bear a constant relation to body length. 4. Specific gravity also is constant, for the relation of body weight to the cube of body length shows no trend with increasing size. 5. Oxygen consumption per gram decreases with increasing size and is proportional to the -0.274 Power of body weight. Total oxygen consumption is therefore proportional to the 0.726 power of body weight; but this value does not differ significantly from two-thirds. 6. As shape is constant, surface area is proportional to the square of a linear dimension. It is shown that oxygen consumption per unit of length2 is constant over the size range. Although body length was measured far less accurately than body weight it is shown that it assesses ‘body size’ more accurately. 7. Rate of pleopod beat was measured at 15 and 25°C.; it decreases with the size of the animal. At 15°C. time per beat varies as the 0.66 power of body length, and at 25°C. as the 0.59 power; neither of these values differs significantly from 0.5. Despite the fact that pleopod movement is heavily damped, the rate therefore varies like that of a pendulum. 9. The workof Fox (1936-9) and Fox et al. (1937a)on the rate of oxygen consumption of animals from cold and warmer seas and from different habitats is considered. It is suggested that many of their comparisons are invalidated by differences in body size of the animals concerned, and that, in relation to environment, no basis, theoretical or experimental, has been established for a distinction between ‘nonlocomotory’ and ‘activity’ metabolism.


Author(s):  
S. M. Marshall ◽  
A. P. Orr

The seasonal changes in the respiration of Calanus are considerable and are, on the whole, related to size and therefore to weight. Length alone is not enough to account for the differences since ripe females, although the same length as unripe, have a markedly higher respiration. In addition, by taking samples of large and of small Calanus of a single stage, it was shown that the difference in respiration was small. Neither is weight by itself enough to account for the difference between groups. Stage V Calanus are, for a given length, heavier even than ripe females and yet their oxygen utilization is low. In this instance, however, an important part of the weight consists of fat which is a food reserve and not actively metabolizing. The difference of weight between ripe and unripe females is not known, but ripe females must be heavier and this will account for their higher oxygen consumption.Although the oxygen and therefore the food required during the spring months is high, at that time the phytoplankton is at its maximum and is probably sufficient to fulfil all needs. Egg-laying depends on the food supply and it is then that Calanus starts breeding. In winter, on the other hand, the Calanus is present as Stage V and oxygen consumption is little more than half what earlier figures suggested. No ‘hibernation’ seems to take place but the population is living in an economical way for Stage V use little oxygen, live in deep water and do not undertake diurnal vertical migration.At 10° C ripe female Calanus will require daily from 3·9–7·2% of their body weight as dry matter in summer and from 2·8–6·7% in winter. Stage V will require 2·3–3·1% in summer and 1·4–3·3% in winter. The higher values are for carbohydrate and the lower for fat.It is difficult to believe that Calanus in winter will be able to find enough food by filtration alone. The fact that in the winter months it depends more on predation may account for its survival.


The Condor ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 548-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric T. Liknes ◽  
Sarah M. Scott ◽  
David L. Swanson

Abstract We evaluated seasonal changes in cold tolerance, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and summit metabolic rate (Msum) for American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) from southeastern South Dakota to determine if goldfinches differ in pattern of metabolic acclimatization from other species of small birds. Goldfinches were captured in winter (January–February), spring (April), and summer (June–August) and tested on the day of capture. Cold exposure tests involved subjecting individual birds to a decreasing series of temperatures in an atmosphere of 79% helium to 21% oxygen (helox) concurrent with open-circuit respirometry. The helox temperature eliciting hypothermia was designated the cold limit (Tcl). Whole-animal metabolic rates were analyzed. Winter goldfinches demonstrated significantly higher BMR (46%) and Msum (31%) and significantly lower Tcl (−9.5°C vs. 1.3°C) than their summer counterparts. Spring goldfinches also showed significantly higher Msum (21%) and significantly lower Tcl (−5.3°C) than summer birds. Winter birds had higher BMR (23%) and Msum (8%) than spring birds. In winter birds, Tcl was also significantly lower than in spring birds. These data support the view that prominent winter increases in Msum and BMR are components of winter acclimatization in American Goldfinches from South Dakota and that seasonal changes in metabolism in goldfinches are similar to those for other small temperate-wintering birds. La Aclimatación Estacional en Carduelis tristis Revisitada: ¿En qué Grado Varían Estacionalmente las Tasas Metabólicas? Resumen. Evaluamos los cambios estacionales en la tolerancia al frío, la tasa metabólica basal (TMB) y la tasa metabólica pico (Mpico) en individuos de Carduelis tristis del sudeste de South Dakota para determinar si esta especie difiere de otras aves pequeñas en el patrón de aclimatación metabólica. Las aves fueron capturadas en invierno (enero–febrero), primavera (abril) y verano (junio–agosto) y sometidas a exámenes el día de captura. Los exámenes de tolerancia al frío consistieron en someter a las aves a una serie decreciente de temperaturas en una atmósfera de 79% helio y 21% oxígeno (helox) al mismo tiempo que se practicaba respirometría de circuito abierto. La temperatura que provocó hipotermia se designó como el límite de tolerancia al frío (Tfr). Se analizaron tasas metabólicas de animales completos. Las aves capturadas en el invierno presentaron TMB y Mpico significativamente mayores (46% y 31%, respectivamente) y Tfr significativamente menor (−9.5°C vs. 1.3°C) que las capturadas en el verano. Las aves de primavera también presentaron Mpico significativamente mayor (21%) y Tfr significativamente menor (−5.3°C) que las aves de verano. Las aves de invierno tuvieron mayores TMB (23%) y Mpico (8%) que las de primavera. En aves de invierno, Tfr también fue significativamente menor que en las aves de primavera. Estos datos apoyan la idea de que los incrementos invernales prominentes en Mpico y TMB son componentes de la aclimatación de invierno de C. tristis de South Dakota y que los cambios estacionales del metabolismo en esta especie son similares a los de otras aves que inviernan en la zona templada.


1978 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 850-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Rutter ◽  
S M Brown ◽  
D Hull

Over 200 measurements of the resting rate of oxygen consumption using an open-circuit method were made on 15 small babies nursed in their usual clinical setting during the first month of life. There were striking and persistent variations between babies that could not be explained by postnatal age, relationship to feed, sleep, or time of day. It was not possible from clinical examination to predict which babies had the higher or lower metabolic rates, except that babies who were light-for-dates generally had higher values. Because of these variations the appropriate thermal temperature for small babies cannot be predicted from average values adjusted for body weight and postnatal age alone.


2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 735-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldo Sassi ◽  
Franco M. Impellizzeri ◽  
Andrea Morelli ◽  
Paolo Menaspà ◽  
Ermanno Rampinini

The primary purpose of this study was to compare seasonal changes in cycling gross efficiency (GE) and economy (EC) with changes in other aerobic fitness indices. The secondary aim was to assess the relationship between maximum oxygen consumption, GE, and EC among elite cyclists. The relationships of maximum oxygen consumption with GE and EC were studied in 13 cyclists (8 professional road cyclists and 5 mountain bikers). Seasonal changes in GE and EC, predicted time to exhaustion (pTE), maximum oxygen consumption, and respiratory compensation point (RCP) were examined in a subgroup of 8 subjects, before (TREST) and after (TPRECOMP) the pre-competitive winter training, and during the competitive period (TCOMP). GE and EC were assessed during a constant power test at 75% of peak power output (PPO). Significant main effect for time was found for maximum oxygen consumption (4.623 ± 0.675, 4.879 ± 0.727, and 5.010 ± 0.663 L·min–1; p = 0.028), PPO (417.8 ± 46.5, 443.0 ± 48.0, and 455 ± 48 W; p < 0.001), oxygen uptake at RCP (3.866 ± 0.793, 4.041 ± 0.685, and 4.143 ± 0.643 L·min–1; p = 0.049), power output at RCP (330 ± 64, 354 ± 52, and 361 ± 50 W; p < 0.001), and pTE (17 ± 4, 30 ± 8, and 46 ± 17 min; p < 0.001). No significant main effect for time was found in GE (p = 0.097) or EC (p = 0.225), despite within-subject seasonal changes. No significant correlations were found between absolute maximum oxygen consumption and GE (r = –0.276; p = 0.359) or EC (r = –0.328; p = 0.272). However, cyclists with high maximum oxygen consumption values (i.e., over 80 mL·kg–1·min–1), showed low efficiency rates. Despite within-subject seasonal waves in cycling efficiency, changes in GE and EC should not be expected as direct consequence of changes in other maximal and submaximal parameters of aerobic fitness (i.e., maximum oxygen consumption and RCP).


1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 1657-1662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Hui Chang ◽  
Rodger Kram

Previous studies have suggested that generating vertical force on the ground to support body weight (BWt) is the major determinant of the metabolic cost of running. Because horizontal forces exerted on the ground are often an order of magnitude smaller than vertical forces, some have reasoned that they have negligible cost. Using applied horizontal forces (AHF; negative is impeding, positive is aiding) equal to −6, −3, 0, +3, +6, +9, +12, and +15% of BWt, we estimated the cost of generating horizontal forces while subjects were running at 3.3 m/s. We measured rates of oxygen consumption (V˙o 2) for eight subjects. We then used a force-measuring treadmill to measure ground reaction forces from another eight subjects. With an AHF of −6% BWt,V˙o 2 increased 30% compared with normal running, presumably because of the extra work involved. With an AHF of +15% BWt, the subjects exerted ∼70% less propulsive impulse and exhibited a 33% reduction inV˙o 2. Our data suggest that generating horizontal propulsive forces constitutes more than one-third of the total metabolic cost of normal running.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-120
Author(s):  
Mladen Mikić ◽  
Marko D.M. Stojanović ◽  
Aleksandra Milovančev ◽  
Tatjana Miljković ◽  
Marija Bjelobrk ◽  
...  

Abstract Study aim: To asses and compare the aerobic capacity and respiratory parameters in recreational basketball-engaged university students with age-matched untrained young adults. Material and methods: A total of 30 subjects were selected to took part in the study based on recreational-basketball activity level and were assigned to a basketball (BG: n = 15, age 22.86 ± 1.35 yrs., body height 185.07 ± 5.95 cm, body weight 81.21 ± 6.15 kg) and untrained group (UG: n = 15, age 22.60 ± 1.50 yrs., body height 181.53 ± 6.11 cm, body weight 76.89 ± 7.30 kg). Inspiratory vital capacity (IVC), forced expiration volume (FEV1), FEV1/IVC ratio, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), ventilatory threshold (VO2VT) and time to exhaustion, were measured in all subjects. Student T-test for independent Sample and Cohen’s d as the measure of the effect size were calculated. Results: Recreational basketball-engaged students (EG) reached significantly greater IVC (t = 7.240, p < 0.001, d = 1.854), FEV1 (t = 10.852, p < 0.001, d = 2.834), FEV1/IVC ratio (t = 6.370, p < 0.001, d = 3.920), maximal oxygen consumption (t = 9.039, p < 0.001, d = 3.310), ventilatory threshold (t = 9.859, p < 0.001, d = 3.607) and time to exhaustion (t = 12.361, p < 0.001, d = 4.515) compared to UG. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to recreational basketball leads to adaptive changes in aerobic and respiratory parameters in male university students.


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