Diving Mammals Flashcards
Describe diving behavior
- individuals spend weeks out at sea, diving and surfacing
- individuals travel to same foraging locations (same routes)
- positive relationship with dive depth + duration
What is the general relationship between dive duration and depth ?
Dive depth increases with dive duration
- lots of variation in both dive duration and depth in some animals can go in deep and shallow water
Where are the 3 major internal O2 stores located?
- O2 bound to hemoglobin in the blood
- O2 bound to myoglobin in the muscle
- O2 contained in air in the lungs
What does the amount of O2 in blood depend on?
- Oxygen-carrying capacity
- Total volume of blood
- Degree to which blood is saturated at submergence
Blood store = ?
O2-carrying capacity x blood volume
Why are the lungs considered a O2 store?
- O2 in air in lungs at submergence
- Diving mammals do not take in a big breath before diving
What are the 3 circulatory change responses?
- Vasoconstriction
- Slowed heart rate
- Increase in red blood cell concentration
Vasoconstriction = ?
Reduce in blood flow to visceral organs + muscles
Slow heart rate = ?
Diving bradycardia
- saves energy
- matches how much heart works with how much of the body is supplied with blood (smaller circuit)
What happens when there is an increase in red blood cell concentration?
- Increase in hemoglobin –> oxygen carrying capacity
- Only during diving
- Red blood cell stored in spleen when surfaced
What occurs during metabolic changes?
Vasoconstriction creates:
- aerobic part of body (heart, brain, arterial blood)
- anaerobic part (visceral organs, muscles)
Surface: blood flows back to muscles –> lactic acid moves from muscles to blood
How do aquatic animals save energy in the water?
- Save energy (O2) during descent (use gliding during descent)
- Has to use energy (O2) during ascent
Anaerobic metabolism
Producing energy without oxygen in the longest dive
