Respiratory evaporative water loss during hovering and forward flight in hummingbirds

Donald R. Powers; Philip W. Getsinger; Bret W. Tobalske; Susan M. Wethington; Sean D. Powers; Douglas R. Warrick

doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.11.008

Respiratory evaporative water loss during hovering and forward flight in hummingbirds

Donald R. Powers
, Philip W. Getsinger
, Bret W. Tobalske
, Susan M. Wethington
, Sean D. Powers
, Douglas R. Warrick

Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hummingbirds represent an end point for small body size and water flux in vertebrates. We explored the role evaporative water loss (EWL) plays in management of their large water pool and its use in dissipating metabolic heat. We measured respiratory evaporative water loss (REWL) in hovering hummingbirds in the field (6 species) and over a range of speeds in a wind tunnel (1 species) using an open-circuit mask respirometry system. Hovering REWL during the active period was positively correlated with operative temperature (T_e) likely due to some combination of an increase in the vapor-pressure deficit, increase in lung ventilation rate, and reduced importance of dry heat transfer at higher T_e. In rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus; 3.3g) REWL during forward flight at 6 and 10m/s was less than half the value for hovering. The proportion of total dissipated heat (TDH) accounted for by REWL during hovering at T_e>40°C was <40% in most species. During forward flight in S. rufus the proportion of TDH accounted for by REWL was ~35% less than for hovering. REWL in hummingbirds is a relatively small component of the water budget compared with other bird species (<20%) so cutaneous evaporative water loss and dry heat transfer must contribute significantly to thermal balance in hummingbirds.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	279-285
Number of pages	7
Journal	Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology
Volume	161
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.11.008
State	Published - Feb 2012

Funding

We thank the staff of the Southwestern Research Station for all their assistance in this project. Technical assistance was provided by Travis Schroeder, Kevin Smith, and Keaton Wilson. We thank Ken Welch and two annonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier versions of this manuscript. Funding was provided by the Holman Endowment for the Sciences (DRP) and Richter Scholar program (PWG and SDP) at George Fox University , a Murdock Charitable Trust Life Sciences Grant ( 2001208 ; BWT), and the National Science Foundation ( IOS-0615648 ; BWT and DRW).

Funders	Funder number
George Fox University	2001208
IOS-0615648

Keywords

Flight
Hummingbirds
Respiratory evaporative water loss
Water balance

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10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.11.008

Cite this

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title = "Respiratory evaporative water loss during hovering and forward flight in hummingbirds",

abstract = "Hummingbirds represent an end point for small body size and water flux in vertebrates. We explored the role evaporative water loss (EWL) plays in management of their large water pool and its use in dissipating metabolic heat. We measured respiratory evaporative water loss (REWL) in hovering hummingbirds in the field (6 species) and over a range of speeds in a wind tunnel (1 species) using an open-circuit mask respirometry system. Hovering REWL during the active period was positively correlated with operative temperature (Te) likely due to some combination of an increase in the vapor-pressure deficit, increase in lung ventilation rate, and reduced importance of dry heat transfer at higher Te. In rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus; 3.3g) REWL during forward flight at 6 and 10m/s was less than half the value for hovering. The proportion of total dissipated heat (TDH) accounted for by REWL during hovering at Te>40°C was <40\% in most species. During forward flight in S. rufus the proportion of TDH accounted for by REWL was \textasciitilde{}35\% less than for hovering. REWL in hummingbirds is a relatively small component of the water budget compared with other bird species (<20\%) so cutaneous evaporative water loss and dry heat transfer must contribute significantly to thermal balance in hummingbirds.",

keywords = "Flight, Hummingbirds, Respiratory evaporative water loss, Water balance",

author = "Powers, \{Donald R.\} and Getsinger, \{Philip W.\} and Tobalske, \{Bret W.\} and Wethington, \{Susan M.\} and Powers, \{Sean D.\} and Warrick, \{Douglas R.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the staff of the Southwestern Research Station for all their assistance in this project. Technical assistance was provided by Travis Schroeder, Kevin Smith, and Keaton Wilson. We thank Ken Welch and two annonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier versions of this manuscript. Funding was provided by the Holman Endowment for the Sciences (DRP) and Richter Scholar program (PWG and SDP) at George Fox University , a Murdock Charitable Trust Life Sciences Grant ( 2001208 ; BWT), and the National Science Foundation ( IOS-0615648 ; BWT and DRW).",

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AU - Powers, Sean D.

AU - Warrick, Douglas R.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the staff of the Southwestern Research Station for all their assistance in this project. Technical assistance was provided by Travis Schroeder, Kevin Smith, and Keaton Wilson. We thank Ken Welch and two annonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier versions of this manuscript. Funding was provided by the Holman Endowment for the Sciences (DRP) and Richter Scholar program (PWG and SDP) at George Fox University , a Murdock Charitable Trust Life Sciences Grant ( 2001208 ; BWT), and the National Science Foundation ( IOS-0615648 ; BWT and DRW).

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N2 - Hummingbirds represent an end point for small body size and water flux in vertebrates. We explored the role evaporative water loss (EWL) plays in management of their large water pool and its use in dissipating metabolic heat. We measured respiratory evaporative water loss (REWL) in hovering hummingbirds in the field (6 species) and over a range of speeds in a wind tunnel (1 species) using an open-circuit mask respirometry system. Hovering REWL during the active period was positively correlated with operative temperature (Te) likely due to some combination of an increase in the vapor-pressure deficit, increase in lung ventilation rate, and reduced importance of dry heat transfer at higher Te. In rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus; 3.3g) REWL during forward flight at 6 and 10m/s was less than half the value for hovering. The proportion of total dissipated heat (TDH) accounted for by REWL during hovering at Te>40°C was <40% in most species. During forward flight in S. rufus the proportion of TDH accounted for by REWL was ~35% less than for hovering. REWL in hummingbirds is a relatively small component of the water budget compared with other bird species (<20%) so cutaneous evaporative water loss and dry heat transfer must contribute significantly to thermal balance in hummingbirds.

AB - Hummingbirds represent an end point for small body size and water flux in vertebrates. We explored the role evaporative water loss (EWL) plays in management of their large water pool and its use in dissipating metabolic heat. We measured respiratory evaporative water loss (REWL) in hovering hummingbirds in the field (6 species) and over a range of speeds in a wind tunnel (1 species) using an open-circuit mask respirometry system. Hovering REWL during the active period was positively correlated with operative temperature (Te) likely due to some combination of an increase in the vapor-pressure deficit, increase in lung ventilation rate, and reduced importance of dry heat transfer at higher Te. In rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus; 3.3g) REWL during forward flight at 6 and 10m/s was less than half the value for hovering. The proportion of total dissipated heat (TDH) accounted for by REWL during hovering at Te>40°C was <40% in most species. During forward flight in S. rufus the proportion of TDH accounted for by REWL was ~35% less than for hovering. REWL in hummingbirds is a relatively small component of the water budget compared with other bird species (<20%) so cutaneous evaporative water loss and dry heat transfer must contribute significantly to thermal balance in hummingbirds.

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JO - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology

JF - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology

IS - 2

ER -

Respiratory evaporative water loss during hovering and forward flight in hummingbirds

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Keywords

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