Biomaterial Database

Emperor penguin oxygen consumption, heart rate and plasma lactate levels during graded swimming exercise. 1994

G L Kooyman, and P J Ponganis

Centre for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.

Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate and blood chemistry were measured in four emperor penguins, Aptenodytes forsteri (Gray), during graded swimming exercise. The maximum VO2 obtained, 52 ml O2 kg-1 min-1, was 7.8 times the measured resting VO2 of 6.7 ml O2 kg-1 min-1 and 9.1 times the predicted resting VO2. As the swimming effort rose, a linear increase in surface and submerged heart rates (fH) occurred. The highest average maximum surface and submersion heart rates of any bird were 213 and 210 beats min-1, respectively. No increase in plasma lactate concentrations occurred until VO2 was greater than 25 ml O2 kg-1 min-1. At the highest VO2 values measured, plasma lactate concentration reached 9.4 mmol l-1. In comparison with other animals of approximately the same mass, the aerobic capacity of the emperor penguin is less than those of the emu and dog but about the same as those of the seal, sea lion and domestic goat. For aquatic animals, a low aerobic capacity seems to be consistent with the needs of parsimonious oxygen utilization while breath-holding.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007773	Lactates	Salts or esters of LACTIC ACID containing the general formula CH3CHOHCOOR.
D010101	Oxygen Consumption	The rate at which oxygen is used by a tissue; microliters of oxygen STPD used per milligram of tissue per hour; the rate at which oxygen enters the blood from alveolar gas, equal in the steady state to the consumption of oxygen by tissue metabolism throughout the body. (Stedman, 25th ed, p346)	Consumption, Oxygen,Consumptions, Oxygen,Oxygen Consumptions
D010805	Physical Conditioning, Animal	Diet modification and physical exercise to improve the ability of animals to perform physical activities.	Animal Physical Conditioning,Animal Physical Conditionings,Conditioning, Animal Physical,Conditionings, Animal Physical,Physical Conditionings, Animal
D005082	Physical Exertion	Expenditure of energy during PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Intensity of exertion may be measured by rate of OXYGEN CONSUMPTION; HEAT produced, or HEART RATE. Perceived exertion, a psychological measure of exertion, is included.	Physical Effort,Effort, Physical,Efforts, Physical,Exertion, Physical,Exertions, Physical,Physical Efforts,Physical Exertions
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001717	Birds	Warm-blooded VERTEBRATES possessing FEATHERS and belonging to the class Aves.	Aves,Bird
D013550	Swimming	An activity in which the body is propelled through water by specific movement of the arms and/or the legs. Swimming as propulsion through water by the movement of limbs, tail, or fins of animals is often studied as a form of PHYSICAL EXERTION or endurance.
D019344	Lactic Acid	A normal intermediate in the fermentation (oxidation, metabolism) of sugar. The concentrated form is used internally to prevent gastrointestinal fermentation. (From Stedman, 26th ed)	Lactate,2-Hydroxypropanoic Acid,2-Hydroxypropionic Acid,Ammonium Lactate,D-Lactic Acid,L-Lactic Acid,Propanoic Acid, 2-Hydroxy-, (2R)-,Propanoic Acid, 2-Hydroxy-, (2S)-,Sarcolactic Acid,2 Hydroxypropanoic Acid,2 Hydroxypropionic Acid,D Lactic Acid,L Lactic Acid,Lactate, Ammonium