Exercise hyperpnea in birds: evidence against a primary role for pCO2

Ventilatory responses of domestic fowl to graded intensities of treadmill exercise were compared when the birds breathed air, 3% CO2 in air or 4.2% CO2 in air. During exercise in air, increased minute ventilation resulted mainly from increased respiratory rate with little change in tidal volume. This pattern of ventilatory response was not altered when the birds respired CO2. In contrast, the pattern of ventilatory response to CO2, at given work loads, consisted of a primary increase in tidal volume with little change in respiratory rate. It is concluded that intrapulmonary pCO2 does not affect the ventilatory response to exercise.