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Kinematic plasticity during flight in fruit bats: individual variability in response to loading
Jose Iriarte-Diaz1, Daniel K Riskin, Kenneth S Breuer
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America. jiriarte@alumni.brown.edu
Plos One
|May 23, 2012
Summary
Bats adjust their flight patterns in diverse ways to compensate for increased body mass, demonstrating significant kinematic plasticity. This adaptability in flight mechanics offers potential for evolutionary diversification.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Animal Flight
- Locomotor Control
Background:
- Bats exhibit daily and seasonal body mass fluctuations.
- Increased mass necessitates kinematic adjustments for lift generation.
- Mechanisms of kinematic modification in bats remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of a 20% mass increase on the flight kinematics of Cynopterus brachyotis (lesser dog-faced fruit bat).
- Analyze 3D wing kinematics and their alterations under increased load.
Main Methods:
- Reconstruction of 3D wing kinematics in bats.
- Comparative analysis of kinematic parameters before and after induced mass increase.
Main Results:
- Bats demonstrated significant changes in wing kinematics in response to added mass.
- Individual bats employed varied kinematic strategies to increase lift.
- Two primary strategies emerged: increasing wingbeat frequency or enhancing wing area and camber.
Conclusions:
- Bat flight kinematics exhibit plasticity and functional redundancy, allowing for multiple solutions to maintain lift.
- Individual-specific responses highlight the complexity of locomotor control in bats.
- This kinematic adaptability may facilitate evolutionary diversification by reducing locomotor trade-offs.
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