Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Physiology
The Long Haul: Migratory Flight Preparation And Performance In Songbirds, Morag F. Dick
The Long Haul: Migratory Flight Preparation And Performance In Songbirds, Morag F. Dick
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Migration requires birds to sustain high intensity endurance exercise for periods lasting from hours to days. Similar to athletes, preparation and nutrition is key to success. Birds seasonally prepare for migration, which includes increasing the capacity to oxidize fat in the flight muscles. Beyond fuelling migration, n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are hypothesized to be natural doping agents and increase endurance and fatty acid oxidative capacity. I examined how birds prepare for and sustain migratory flight and directly tested the role of n-3 PUFA. Using yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata) as a model species, I first examined the …
Environmental Physiology Of Flight In Migratory Birds, Alexander R. Gerson
Environmental Physiology Of Flight In Migratory Birds, Alexander R. Gerson
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Migratory birds complete amazing journeys between their breeding and wintering grounds. Each journey comprises a series of flights that last hours to days, followed by stopovers where fuel stores are replenished. Despite the long flights undertaken by migratory birds, where respiratory water losses are high for extended periods of time, birds are not dehydrated after flight. My studies demonstrate that birds maintain hydration by modulating rates of endogenous water production in response to rates of water loss. In resting, water restricted house sparrows (Passer domesticus) I used quantitative magnetic resonance body composition analysis (QMR) and hygrometry to demonstrate that stressed …