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Total Body Water And Body Composition In Phalaropes And Other Birds, Hugh I. Ellis, Joseph R. Jehl Jr
Total Body Water And Body Composition In Phalaropes And Other Birds, Hugh I. Ellis, Joseph R. Jehl Jr
Biology: Faculty Scholarship
Contrary to some reviews, total body water (TBW) may fall below the expected value of about 65% in birds if measured as a percentage of total body mass. However, water constitutes a relatively stable proportion (659%-70%) of body composition when measured as a percentage of lean body mass (LBM). We demonstrate this by using data from two migratory phalaropes (Phalaropus tricolor and Phalaropus lobatus), which exhibit inverse relationships between TBW and body mass and between TBW and fat content. As the phalaropes fatten before migration, lipids increase but not at the expense of water, which also increases with gains in …