Allometry of evaporative water loss in marsupials: implications of the effect of ambient relative humidity on the physiology of brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

The Journal of Experimental Biology
C E Cooper, P C Withers

Abstract

To better understand the effects of ambient relative humidity (RH) on physiological variables and the implications of RH-correcting evaporative water loss (EWL) data for marsupials, we examined the effect of RH on EWL, body temperature (Tb), metabolic rate (MR) and thermal conductance (C) of the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), a medium-sized marsupial. Correcting EWL data for 27 species of marsupial for water vapour pressure deficit (DeltaWVP) in the chamber during measurement significantly increased, rather than decreased, the variability of the allometric relationship for EWL. For the brushtail possum, both ambient temperature (Ta) and RH significantly affected EWL. At Ta=25 degrees C, EWL was independent of RH at "63% RH, but decreased linearly at higher RH values. At Ta=30 degrees C, EWL was significantly related to RH from 26% to 92% RH. There was a significant effect of Ta on Tb and dry thermal conductance (Cdry; higher at 30 degrees C), but no effect of RH. For MR and wet thermal conductance (Cwet) there was a significant effect of Ta (MR higher and Cwet lower at 25 degrees C), and RH at Ta=30 degrees C (MR higher and Cwet lower at the lowest RH) but not at 25 degrees C. Our results indicate that brushtail poss...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 15, 2009·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Christine Elizabeth Cooper, Ariovaldo P Cruz-Neto
Mar 11, 2010·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Christine E Cooper, Philip C Withers
Oct 23, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Warren P Porter, Michael Kearney
Jan 25, 2014·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Barry G LovegroveThomas Ruf
May 11, 2010·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·L WarneckeP C Withers
Mar 17, 2009·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Philip C Withers, Christine E Cooper
Nov 23, 2015·Journal of Thermal Biology·María Belén BaldoFacundo Luna
Aug 29, 2014·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Christine Elizabeth Cooper, Philip Carew Withers
Aug 5, 2020·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Christine Elizabeth CooperFritz Geiser
Oct 25, 2020·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Christine Elizabeth Cooper, Philip Carew Withers
Jul 24, 2021·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Lauren Noelle GilsonMarthe Monique Gagnon

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