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Related Experiment Videos

Dynamics of muscle function during locomotion: accommodating variable conditions.

A A Biewener1, G B Gillis

  • 1Concord Field Station, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Bedford, MA 01730, USA. abiewener@oeb.harvard.edu

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|November 24, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Animal locomotion adapts to varied environments by altering muscle function. Studies on eels, turkeys, and ducks show muscles change activation or mechanical output to accommodate different conditions, revealing the musculoskeletal system's adaptability.

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Area of Science:

  • Comparative biomechanics
  • Animal locomotion
  • Musculoskeletal system function

Background:

  • Locomotion studies typically focus on single, stable environments.
  • How musculoskeletal systems adapt to environmental variability remains underexplored.
  • Potential adaptations include differential muscle recruitment or altered activation patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how animal musculoskeletal systems accommodate environmental variability during locomotion.
  • To explore alterations in muscle function across different conditions.
  • To characterize the functional breadth of the vertebrate musculoskeletal system.

Main Methods:

  • Case studies of eels (water/land), turkeys (level/inclined running), and ducks (walking/paddling).

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  • Analysis of muscle recruitment, activation patterns, and mechanical output.
  • Electromyography and biomechanical measurements were employed.

    • Main Results:

    • Locomotor muscles are altered to varying degrees and ways across conditions.
    • Turkeys' ankle extensors shift from isometric contraction to active shortening uphill.
    • Ducks show increased muscle stress and work output during terrestrial locomotion compared to paddling.
    • Eels exhibit changes in electromyographic duty cycles and activation timing when moving to land.

    Conclusions:

    • Animal locomotion is not static; musculoskeletal function adapts to environmental demands.
    • Varied muscle activation and mechanical output are key to accommodating different terrains and media.
    • Understanding locomotion in variable conditions is crucial for characterizing the vertebrate musculoskeletal system's adaptability and evolutionary design.