ISSN:
1432-136X
Keywords:
Ventilation
;
Metabolism
;
Bats Hypoxia
;
Hypercapnia
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The ventilatory and metabolic responses of lesser spear-nosed bats to hypoxia and hypercapnia were measured to determine whether these corresponded to preliminary allometries and a positive relationship between hypoxic ventilatory threshold andP 50. Ventilatory responses of lesser spear-nosed bats to 3, 5 and 7% CO2 differed significantly from ventilation on air and each other. The magnitude of their ventilatory response to CO2 is consistent with the prediction of a smaller ventilatory response to hypercapnia in small compared to large mammals [ $$\% \Delta \dot V \propto M_B^{0.130}$$ ; Williams et al. (1994)]. Among 12, 10 and 8% O2 treatments only the ventilatory response to 8% O2 differed significantly from ventilation on air or the other treatments. Metabolic rate was significantly reduced at both 10 and 8% O2. The hypoxic ventilatory response of these bats does not support the prediction of a greater response in small compared to large mammals [ $$\% \Delta \dot V \propto M_B^{0.273}$$ ; Boggs and Tenney (1984)]. Their metabolic response is consistent with the hypoxic hypometabolism typical of small mammals, though not of comparable magnitude. The response, expressed as percent change in convection requirement ( $$({{\dot V} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\dot V} {\dot VO_2 )}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\dot VO_2 )}}$$ ), is also less than that observed in other small mammals. This relative insensitivity to hypoxia may be associated with this bat's unusually high affinity hemoglobin (P50=27.5 torr).
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02336917
