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Development of diving capacity in emperor penguins
P J Ponganis1, L N Starke, M Horning
1Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0204, USA.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|March 10, 1999
Summary
Juvenile emperor penguins improve diving skills after fledging, with myoglobin levels key to their development. Their diving depth and duration increase significantly as they mature at sea.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Animal Physiology
- Ecology
Background:
- Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) exhibit remarkable diving abilities crucial for survival.
- Understanding juvenile development is key to comprehending population dynamics and ecological roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare diving capacities of juvenile and adult emperor penguins.
- Identify physiological factors influencing juvenile diving performance.
- Track developmental changes in key physiological variables.
Main Methods:
- Satellite-linked time/depth recorders deployed on juvenile penguins.
- Monitoring of diving depth, duration, and time-at-depth.
- Analysis of developmental changes in body mass, hemoglobin, myoglobin, citrate synthase, and lactate dehydrogenase.
Main Results:
- Diving depth and duration increased progressively in juveniles during their first 2.5 months at sea.
- After 8-10 weeks, juveniles reached depths of 80-200m, with longer dives (2-4 min).
- Myoglobin (Mb) and Mb content remained significantly lower than adult values (50-60% and 24-31%, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Juvenile emperor penguins show developing diving capabilities post-fledging.
- Myoglobin levels are a critical factor limiting juvenile diving performance.
- Further increases in diving capacity are expected as myoglobin stores develop towards adult levels.