Carrying large fuel loads during sustained bird flight is cheaper than expected

Nature
A KvistG Henk Visser

Abstract

Birds on migration alternate between consuming fuel stores during flights and accumulating fuel stores during stopovers. The optimal timing and length of flights and stopovers for successful migration depend heavily on the extra metabolic power input (fuel use) required to carry the fuel stores during flight. The effect of large fuel loads on metabolic power input has never been empirically determined. We measured the total metabolic power input of a long-distance migrant, the red knot (Calidris canutus), flying for 6 to 10 h in a wind tunnel, using the doubly labelled water technique. Here we show that total metabolic power input increased with fuel load, but proportionally less than the predicted mechanical power output from the flight muscles. The most likely explanation is that the efficiency with which metabolic power input is converted into mechanical output by the flight muscles increases with fuel load. This will influence current models of bird flight and bird migration. It may also help to explain why some shorebirds, despite the high metabolic power input required to fly, routinely make nonstop flights of 4,000 km longer.

References

Feb 25, 2000·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·P F BattleyK Hulsman
Nov 18, 2000·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·G H VisserH A Meijer

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 22, 2005·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·S Ward, P J B Slater
Jun 3, 2008·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Anders Hedenström
Jan 21, 2006·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Sophia EngelG Henk Visser
Mar 2, 2006·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Sophia EngelHerbert Biebach
Dec 16, 2006·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Carola A Schmidt-WellenburgG Henk Visser
May 16, 2008·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Carola A Schmidt-WellenburgG Henk Visser
May 12, 2011·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Melissa S BowlinMartin Wikelski
May 12, 2011·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Sophia EngelAnders Hedenström
May 27, 2011·Biology Letters·Raymond H G KlaassenAke Lindström
Nov 1, 2008·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Robert E GillTheunis Piersma
Jan 15, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Judy Shamoun-BaranesTheunis Piersma
May 9, 2012·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Marcel KlaassenWilliam A Buttemer
Jan 16, 2010·Science·L McKinnonJ Bêty
Oct 28, 2008·BMC Genomics·Clemens KüpperDeborah A Dawson
Jul 25, 2007·PLoS Biology·Thomas AlerstamOlof Hellgren
May 17, 2014·PloS One·Susanne Jenni-EiermannDavid Costantini
Apr 3, 2008·Perceptual and Motor Skills·Y KrielA St Clair Gibson
Sep 2, 2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Heidi E WareJesse R Barber
Oct 19, 2016·Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise·James H Jones
Jun 2, 2009·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Susanne Jenni-EiermannTheunis Piersma
Oct 19, 2001·Nature·J M Rayner
Mar 5, 2009·Bioinspiration & Biomimetics·Anders HedenströmGeoffrey R Spedding
Sep 3, 2013·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Kyle H ElliottDonald Croll
Jun 19, 2002·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Robert L Nudds, David M Bryant
Aug 30, 2018·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Ziwei MoYuh-Shan Ho
Feb 7, 2017·Interface Focus·William R T RoderickDavid Lentink
Mar 24, 2018·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Ziwei MoYuh-Shan Ho
Sep 25, 2020·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Kimberley J MathotTheunis Piersma
Feb 17, 2009·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Jean-Michel Weber
Jan 22, 2008·The Journal of Experimental Biology·David CostantiniHans-Peter Lipp
Jul 20, 2010·The Journal of Experimental Biology·O AmitaiC C Voigt
Oct 26, 2005·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Popko WiersmaSimon Verhulst
Dec 18, 2015·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Frank SeebacherRob S James
Mar 21, 2007·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Dennis HasselquistTheunis Piersma

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.