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Body temperature maintenance acclimates in a winter-tenacious songbird
Maria Stager1, Nathan R Senner2, Bret W Tobalske3
1Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA maria.stager@umontana.edu.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|May 8, 2020
Summary
Birds adjust heat production and conservation to survive cold. Heat generation improved quickly, while heat conservation took longer, showing adaptable thermoregulation in dark-eyed juncos.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Animal Ecology
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Endotherms utilize heat generation and dissipation for thermoregulation.
- Seasonal body temperature regulation in birds is not well understood.
- Understanding avian thermoregulatory plasticity is crucial for predicting responses to environmental change.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how birds alter heat production and conservation for seasonal adaptation.
- Quantify changes in metabolic rate and thermal conductance during cold acclimation.
- Examine the time course of thermoregulatory adjustments in dark-eyed juncos.
Main Methods:
- Subjected dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) to chronic cold acclimation.
- Measured metabolic rates, including summit metabolic rate.
- Assessed thermal conductance and the ability to maintain normothermia.
Main Results:
- Cold acclimation increased summit metabolic rate rapidly (within 1 week).
- Thermal conductance decreased significantly only after 9 weeks of cold exposure.
- Body temperature regulation improved over time, with distinct temporal patterns for different mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Birds exhibit flexible thermoregulatory strategies, adjusting both heat production and conservation.
- The underlying mechanisms for improved thermoregulation change over the acclimation period.
- Combined adjustments in metabolic rate and conductance allow birds to meet environmental demands.
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