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Fahlman A, Burggren W, Milsom WK. The role of cognition as a factor regulating the diving responses of animals, including humans. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246472. [PMID: 39177084 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The dive response involves three main components - breath holding, reduced heart rate and increased peripheral vasoconstriction - and is ubiquitous during forced dives in air-breathing vertebrates; however, numerous studies in free-diving animals have shown that the heart rate response to diving varies considerably in a manner that suggests cognitive control. Furthermore, studies on free-diving animals and controlled experiments in trained animals both indicate that the dive response can be conditioned, such that the reduction in heart rate begins before submergence and the extent of the reduction is set early in the dive. In addition, numerous species also experience an increase in heart rate and blood flow during ascent at the end of a dive, a phenomenon commonly called 'ascent tachycardia'. Collectively, these data suggest that although the dive response is under autonomic control, many species can vary its magnitude depending on the length and type of the planned dive - an indication of a role for cognition in the overall physiological responses associated with diving. Here, we provide examples of the conditioned cardiac responses - including anticipatory changes in heart rate - in several diving species and propose potential underlying mechanisms. We also discuss how the anticipatory cardiovascular responses not only improve diving capacity, but also prevent diving-related problems, such as decompression sickness or barotrauma, through a mechanism described by the selective gas exchange hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanogràfic, Gran Vıa Marques del Turia 19, 46005 Valencia, Spain
- Global Diving Research, 11540 San Lucar de Barrameda, Spain
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Warren Burggren
- Developmental Integrative Biology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - William K Milsom
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Burggren W, Fahlman A, Milsom W. Breathing patterns and associated cardiovascular changes in intermittently breathing animals: (Partially) correcting a semantic quagmire. Exp Physiol 2024; 109:1051-1065. [PMID: 38502538 PMCID: PMC11215480 DOI: 10.1113/ep091784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Many animal species do not breathe in a continuous, rhythmic fashion, but rather display a variety of breathing patterns characterized by prolonged periods between breaths (inter-breath intervals), during which the heart continues to beat. Examples of intermittent breathing abound across the animal kingdom, from crustaceans to cetaceans. With respect to human physiology, intermittent breathing-also termed 'periodic' or 'episodic' breathing-is associated with a variety of pathologies. Cardiovascular phenomena associated with intermittent breathing in diving species have been termed 'diving bradycardia', 'submersion bradycardia', 'immersion bradycardia', 'ventilation tachycardia', 'respiratory sinus arrhythmia' and so forth. An examination across the literature of terminology applied to these physiological phenomena indicates, unfortunately, no attempt at standardization. This might be viewed as an esoteric semantic problem except for the fact that many of the terms variously used by different authors carry with them implicit or explicit suggestions of underlying physiological mechanisms and even human-associated pathologies. In this article, we review several phenomena associated with diving and intermittent breathing, indicate the semantic issues arising from the use of each term, and make recommendations for best practice when applying specific terms to particular cardiorespiratory patterns. Ultimately, we emphasize that the biology-not the semantics-is what is important, but also stress that confusion surrounding underlying mechanisms can be avoided by more careful attention to terms describing physiological changes during intermittent breathing and diving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren Burggren
- Developmental Integrative Biology Group, Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of North TexasDentonTexasUSA
| | - Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación OceanogràficValenciaSpain
- Kolmården Wildlife ParkKolmårdenSweden
- IFMLinkoping UniversityLinkopingSweden
| | - William Milsom
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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Fahlman A. Cardiorespiratory adaptations in small cetaceans and marine mammals. Exp Physiol 2024; 109:324-334. [PMID: 37968859 PMCID: PMC10988691 DOI: 10.1113/ep091095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
The dive response, or the 'master switch of life', is probably the most studied physiological trait in marine mammals and is thought to conserve the available O2 for the heart and brain. Although generally thought to be an autonomic reflex, several studies indicate that the cardiovascular changes during diving are anticipatory and can be conditioned. The respiratory adaptations, where the aquatic breathing pattern resembles intermittent breathing in land mammals, with expiratory flow exceeding 160 litres s-1 has been measured in cetaceans, and where exposure to extreme pressures results in alveolar collapse (atelectasis) and recruitment upon ascent. Cardiorespiratory coupling, where breathing results in changes in heart rate, has been proposed to improve gas exchange. Cardiorespiratory coupling has also been reported in marine mammals, and in the bottlenose dolphin, where it alters both heart rate and stroke volume. When accounting for this respiratory dependence on cardiac function, several studies have reported an absence of a diving-related bradycardia except during dives that exceed the duration that is fuelled by aerobic metabolism. This review summarizes what is known about the respiratory physiology in marine mammals, with a special focus on cetaceans. The cardiorespiratory coupling is reviewed, and the selective gas exchange hypothesis is summarized, which provides a testable mechanism for how breath-hold diving vertebrates may actively prevent uptake of N2 during routine dives, and how stress results in failure of this mechanism, which results in diving-related gas emboli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Fahlman
- Global Diving Research SLValenciaSpain
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad ValencianaValenciaSpain
- Kolmården Wildlife ParkKolmårdenSweden
- IFMLinköping UniversityLinköpingSweden
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De León MC, Rodríguez DH, Dassis M. Cardiorespiratory patterns of male South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) resting on land. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:7-19. [PMID: 38345639 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01533-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to characterize the cardiorespiratory patterns of male South American sea lions (SASLs, Otaria flavescens) resting on land. We recorded respiratory and heart rate (n = 360 individuals studied) by observing the nostrils, chest movements and the impact of the heart on the thoracic wall. The sea lions breathe apneustically with a pause on inspiration, representing 74% of the respiratory cycle. The mean breathing frequency was 3.2 ± 1.0 breaths min-1, with a breathing cycle presenting periods of bradypneas, tachypneas, and long-term post-inspiratory pauses. The normal heart rate (nHR) was 73.4 ± 14.5 beats min-1 and no significant differences were observed between age classes. All animals showed variability in HR in relation to respiratory phases (Inspiration: 101.2 ± 18.4 beats min-1; post-inspiratory pause: 73.4 ± 14.5 beats min-1; expiration: 64.6 ± 17.7 beats min-1), consistent with respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). The mean HR (measured during all respiratory phases) was 79.9 ± 22.7 beats min-1, and was significantly different between age classes. The total duration of respiratory cycle, and duration of both inspiration and expiration, decreased with an increment in ambient temperature, with no variation in the pause duration. Heart rate during pause and expiration was significantly higher during high temperatures. Similar changes in cardiorespiratory patterns have been reported in other pinnipeds. Our results showed ontogenetic differences in development and typical variations with environmental and behavioral variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Carolina De León
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rodríguez Peña 4046, Nivel 1 (7600), Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Diego H Rodríguez
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rodríguez Peña 4046, Nivel 1 (7600), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Mariela Dassis
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rodríguez Peña 4046, Nivel 1 (7600), Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Kraskura K, Hardison EA, Eliason EJ. Body size and temperature affect metabolic and cardiac thermal tolerance in fish. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17900. [PMID: 37857749 PMCID: PMC10587238 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44574-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental warming is associated with reductions in ectotherm body sizes, suggesting that larger individuals may be more vulnerable to climate change. The mechanisms driving size-specific vulnerability to temperature are unknown but are required to finetune predictions of fisheries productivity and size-structure community responses to climate change. We explored the potential metabolic and cardiac mechanisms underlying these body size vulnerability trends in a eurythermal fish, barred surfperch. We acutely exposed surfperch across a large size range (5-700 g) to four ecologically relevant temperatures (16 °C, 12 °C, 20 °C, and 22 °C) and subsequently, measured their metabolic capacity (absolute and factorial aerobic scopes, maximum and resting metabolic rates; AAS, FAS, MMR, RMR). Additionally, we estimated the fish's cardiac thermal tolerance by measuring their maximum heart rates (fHmax) across acutely increasing temperatures. Barred surfperch had parallel hypoallometric scaling of MMR and RMR (exponent 0.81) and a weaker hypoallometric scaling of fHmax (exponent - 0.05) across all test temperatures. In contrast to our predictions, the fish's aerobic capacity was maintained across sizes and acute temperatures, and larger fish had greater cardiac thermal tolerance than smaller fish. These results demonstrate that thermal performance may be limited by different physiological constraints depending on the size of the animal and species of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Kraskura
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Emily A Hardison
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Erika J Eliason
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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Fahlman A, Mcknight JC, Blawas AM, West N, Torrente AG, Aoki K. Cardiorespiratory coupling in the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus). Front Physiol 2023; 14:1234432. [PMID: 37811493 PMCID: PMC10558176 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1234432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is an intermittent breather, where the breath begins with an exhalation followed by inhalation and an extended inter-breath interval ranging from 10 to 40 s. Breathing has been shown to alter both the instantaneous heart rate (if H) and stroke volume (iSV) in the bottlenose dolphin, with a transitory ventilatory tachycardia following the breath, and an exponential decrease to a stable if H around 40 beats • min-1 during the inter-breath period. As the total breath duration in the dolphin is around 1 s, it is not possible to assess the contribution of exhalation and inhalation to these changes in cardiac function during normal breathing. Methods: In the current study, we evaluated the if H response by separating expiration and inspiration of a breath, which allowed us to distinguish their respective contribution to the changes in if H. We studied 3 individual male bottlenose dolphins trained to hold their breath between the different respiratory phases (expiration and inhalation). Results: Our data show that inspiration causes an increase in if H, while expiration appears to result in a decrease in if H. Discussion: These data provide improved understanding of the cardiorespiratory coupling in dolphins, and show how both exhalation and inhalation alters if H.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanografic de la Comunidad Valenciana, Gran Vía Marques del Turia 19, Valencia, Spain
- Kolmården Wildlife Park, Kolmården, Sweden
- Global Diving Research SL, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - A. M. Blawas
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University, Beaufort, NC, United States
| | - N. West
- Dolphin Quest, Kahala Resort, Waikoloa, HI, United States
| | - A. G. Torrente
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - K. Aoki
- Department of Marine Bioscience, Atmosphere and OceanResearch Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
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Nazario EC, Cade DE, Bierlich K, Czapanskiy MF, Goldbogen JA, Kahane-Rapport SR, van der Hoop JM, San Luis MT, Friedlaender AS. Baleen whale inhalation variability revealed using animal-borne video tags. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13724. [PMID: 35880219 PMCID: PMC9308462 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Empirical metabolic rate and oxygen consumption estimates for free-ranging whales have been limited to counting respiratory events at the surface. Because these observations were limited and generally viewed from afar, variability in respiratory properties was unknown and oxygen consumption estimates assumed constant breath-to-breath tidal volume and oxygen uptake. However, evidence suggests that cetaceans in human care vary tidal volume and breathing frequency to meet aerobic demand, which would significantly impact energetic estimates if the findings held in free-ranging species. In this study, we used suction cup-attached video tags positioned posterior to the nares of two humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and four Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) to measure inhalation duration, relative nares expansion, and maximum nares expansion. Inhalation duration and nares expansion varied between and within initial, middle, and terminal breaths of surface sequences between dives. The initial and middle breaths exhibited the least variability and had the shortest durations and smallest nares expansions. In contrast, terminal breaths were highly variable, with the longest inhalation durations and the largest nares expansions. Our results demonstrate breath-to-breath variability in duration and nares expansion, suggesting differential oxygen exchange in each breath during the surface interval. With future validation, inhalation duration or nares area could be used alongside respiratory frequency to improve oxygen consumption estimates by accounting for breath-to-breath variation in wild whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Nazario
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - David E. Cade
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - K.C. Bierlich
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States of America
| | - Max F. Czapanskiy
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - Jeremy A. Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport
- Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Merceline T. San Luis
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Ari S. Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
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Latorre R, Graïc JM, Raverty SA, Soria F, Cozzi B, López-Albors O. The Heart of the Killer Whale: Description of a Plastinated Specimen and Review of the Available Literature. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030347. [PMID: 35158671 PMCID: PMC8833494 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The killer whale (Orcinus orca, Linnaeus, 1958) is an odontocete and is the largest member of the family Delphinidae. Free-ranging animals are capable of considerable physical efforts, either as acute bursts or sustained speeds during foraging, diving or protracted long-distance migrations. In this article, the morphology of a plastinated heart of a killer whale and functional adaptations of the gross anatomy in the context of a variety of physiologic demands is evaluated. The four chambers, their content, respective openings and communicating passages are defined based on a specimen used for plastination and thus available for extended and detailed anatomic studies. Abstract The killer whale (Orcinus orca, Linnaeus, 1958) is the largest extant delphinid. Despite its worldwide distribution in the wild and in dolphinariums, its anatomy remains relatively poorly described. In the present study, we describe the detailed morphology of a plastinated killer whale heart. The gross description of the arteries and veins reaching the organ and its coronary vessels are reported. Additional endoscopy and CT (computed tomography) scanning were performed to provide extensive measurements of its parts. In many aspects, the killer whale heart conformed to other delphinid heart descriptions, including position, relative size and shape and specific features such as extensive papillary muscles, trabecular endocardium and trabecula septomarginalis. These characteristics are representative of the delphinid family, suggesting that its functions and capacities are similar to that of other, smaller, dolphins and help understand the conditions in which these predators exert their remarkable physical performance necessary for their survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Latorre
- Department of Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (R.L.); (O.L.-A.)
| | - Jean-Marie Graïc
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, 35020 Padova, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Stephen A. Raverty
- Animal Health Center, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3, Canada;
| | - Federico Soria
- Department of Endoscopy-Endourology, Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre, 10071 Cáceres, Spain;
| | - Bruno Cozzi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, 35020 Padova, Italy;
| | - Octavio López-Albors
- Department of Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (R.L.); (O.L.-A.)
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Ruesch A, McKnight JC, Fahlman A, Shinn-Cunningham BG, Kainerstorfer JM. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool for Marine Mammal Research and Care. Front Physiol 2022; 12:816701. [PMID: 35111080 PMCID: PMC8801602 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.816701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developments in wearable human medical and sports health trackers has offered new solutions to challenges encountered by eco-physiologists attempting to measure physiological attributes in freely moving animals. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is one such solution that has potential as a powerful physio-logging tool to assess physiology in freely moving animals. NIRS is a non-invasive optics-based technology, that uses non-ionizing radiation to illuminate biological tissue and measures changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentrations inside tissues such as skin, muscle, and the brain. The overall footprint of the device is small enough to be deployed in wearable physio-logging devices. We show that changes in hemoglobin concentration can be recorded from bottlenose dolphins and gray seals with signal quality comparable to that achieved in human recordings. We further discuss functionality, benefits, and limitations of NIRS as a standard tool for animal care and wildlife tracking for the marine mammal research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ruesch
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - J. Chris McKnight
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
- Kolmården Wildlife Park, Kolmården, Sweden
| | - Barbara G. Shinn-Cunningham
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jana M. Kainerstorfer
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Hawkes LA, Fahlman A, Sato K. What is physiologging? Introduction to the theme issue, part 2. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20210028. [PMID: 34176329 PMCID: PMC8237167 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The physiological mechanisms by which animals regulate energy expenditure, respond to stimuli and stressors, and maintain homeostasis at the tissue, organ and whole organism levels can be described by 'physiologging'-that is, the use of onboard miniature electronic devices to record physiological metrics of animals in captivity or free-living in the wild. Despite its origins in the 1960s, physiologging has evolved more slowly than its umbrella field of biologging. However, the recording of physiological metrics in free-living animals will be key to solving some of the greatest challenges in biodiversity conservation, issues pertaining to animal health and welfare, and for inspiring future therapeutic strategies for human health. Current physiologging technologies encompass the measurement of physiological variables such as heart rate, brain activity, body temperature, muscle stimulation and dynamic movement, yet future developments will allow for onboard logging of metrics relating to organelle, molecular and genetic function. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. Hawkes
- University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - A. Fahlman
- Global Diving Research Inc. Ottawa ON K2J 5E8, USA
| | - K. Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture 277-8564, Japan
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Hawkes LA, Fahlman A, Sato K. Introduction to the theme issue: Measuring physiology in free-living animals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200210. [PMID: 34121463 PMCID: PMC8200652 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
By describing where animals go, biologging technologies (i.e. animal attached logging of biological variables with small electronic devices) have been used to document the remarkable athletic feats of wild animals since the 1940s. The rapid development and miniaturization of physiologging (i.e. logging of physiological variables such as heart rate, blood oxygen content, lactate, breathing frequency and tidal volume on devices attached to animals) technologies in recent times (e.g. devices that weigh less than 2 g mass that can measure electrical biopotentials for days to weeks) has provided astonishing insights into the physiology of free-living animals to document how and why wild animals undertake these extreme feats. Now, physiologging, which was traditionally hindered by technological limitations, device size, ethics and logistics, is poised to benefit enormously from the on-going developments in biomedical and sports wearables technologies. Such technologies are already improving animal welfare and yield in agriculture and aquaculture, but may also reveal future pathways for therapeutic interventions in human health by shedding light on the physiological mechanisms with which free-living animals undertake some of the most extreme and impressive performances on earth. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. Hawkes
- Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
| | - A. Fahlman
- Global Diving Research Inc, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valencia, Valencia, 46005 Spain
| | - K. Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture 277-8564, Japan
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