Effect of air movement on the thermal insulation of avian nests

Capsule: Air movement over a nest increases the rate of cooling within the nest cup but the walls provide good thermal insulation.

Aims: This study compared nests of six bird species of the families Fringillidae and Motacillidae to investigate the insulative properties in still and moving air treatments. It was hypothesized that differences in nest size and moving air would differ between species and would have a significant effect on insulatory values of the nests.

Methods: Nest dimensions were measured for a total of 35 nests from six species. Thermal properties of the nests were recorded using temperature loggers within nests placed in a wind tunnel under still and moving air conditions.

Results: Insulatory values and internal nest cooling rates were significantly increased by moving air. There was no significant difference between species for the thermal properties of nests but nest mass correlated with greater insulatory values and a lower rate of cooling within the nest cup. Nest wall thickness had no significant effect on the thermal characteristics of the nests.

Conclusion: The use of a constructed nest mitigated the effects of air movement but the differences between species reflected difference in nest mass rather than wall thickness.     

Effect of heating rate on evaporative heat loss in the microwave-exposed mouse

Male CBA/J mice were administered heat loads of 0-28 J X g-1 at specific absorption rates (SARs) of either 47 or 93 W X kg-1 by exposure to 2,450-MHz microwave radiation at an ambient temperature of 30 degrees C while evaporative heat loss (EHL) was continuously monitored with dew-point hygrometry. At an SAR of 47 W X kg-1 a threshold heat load of 10.5 J X g-1 had to be exceeded before EHL increased. An approximate doubling of SAR to 93 W X kg-1 reduced the threshold to 5.2 J X g-1. Above threshold the slopes of the regression lines were 1.15 and 0.929 for the low- and high-SAR groups, respectively. Thus the difference in threshold and not slope attributes to the significant increase in EHL when mice are exposed at a high SAR (P less than 0.02). In separate experiments a SAR of 47 W X kg-1 raised the deep body temperature of anesthetized mice at a rate of 0.026 degrees C X s-1, whereas 93 W X kg-1 raised temperature at 0.049 degrees C X s-1. Hence the sensitivity of the EHL mode of heat dissipation is directly proportional to the rate of heat absorption and to the rate of rise in body temperature. These data contradict the notion that mammals have control over whole-body heat exchange only (i.e., thermoregulation) but instead indicate that the EHL system is highly responsive to the rate of heat absorption (i.e., temperature regulation).     

The effect of hyperosmolality on the rate of heat production of quiescent trabeculae isolated from the rat heart

We have measured the rate of heat production of isolated, quiescent, right ventricular trabeculae of the rat under isosmotic and hyperosmotic conditions, using a microcalorimetric technique. In parallel experiments, we measured force production and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). The rate of resting heat production under isosmotic conditions (mean +/- SEM, n = 32) was 100 +/- 7 mW (g dry wt)-1; it increased sigmoidally with osmolality, reaching a peak that was about four times the isosmotic value at about twice normal osmotic pressure. The hyperosmotic thermal response was: (a) abolished by anoxia, (b) attenuated by procaine, (c) insensitive to verapamil, ouabain, and external calcium concentration, and (d) absent in chemically skinned trabeculae bathed in low-Ca2+ "relaxing solution." Active force production was inhibited at all osmolalities above isosmotic. Passive (tonic) force increased to, at most, 15% of the peak active force developed under isosmotic conditions while [Ca2+]i increased, at most, 30% above its isosmotic value. We infer that hyperosmotic stimulation of resting cardiac heat production reflects, in large part, greatly increased activity of the sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ ATPase in the face of increased efflux via a procaine-inhibitable Ca(2+)-release channel.     

The effect of postpartum uterine lavage on foal heat pregnancy rate

Mares (n = 37) were treated on Days 2 and 4 post partum with a uterine lavage of 10 l of warm, sterile NaCl (0.9%) solution. Endometrial cytology and culture were performed on Day 7. Mares were bred on the first postpartum estrus by artificial insemination. Pregnancy rates were determined by ultrasound examination at Day 16 post ovulation. No differences were noted in degree of uterine inflammation or presence of uterine bacteria at Day 7 post partum between treated (n = 18) and control (n = 19) mares. Pregnancy rates at the first postpartum estrus for treated mares (55.5%) was not statistically different from that of control mares (68.4%). No advantage was noted in the use of intrauterine lavage with 10 l of warm sterile NaCl (0.9%) at Days 2 and 4 post partum as a means of improving foal heat pregnancy rate.     

Air movement and heat loss from sheep. II. Thermal insulation of fleece in wind

Penetration of an animal's coat by wind reduces its thermal insulation and increases heat loss to the environment. From studies of the sensible heat loss from a life-sized model sheep covered with fleece, the average fleece resistance -rf(s cm-1) was related to windspeed u (m s-1) by 1/-rf(u) = 1/-rf(0)+cu, where c is a dimensionless constant. As c is expected to be inversely proportional to coat depth l, the more general relation -k(u) = -k(0)+c'u was evaluated, where -k = l/-rf is the thermal diffusivity (cm2 s-1) of the fleece and c' = cl is another constant (cm). The orientation of the model to the wind had little effect on the bulk resistance of the fleece, but the resistance on the windward side was substantially lower than on the leeward side.     

Appearance and vulnerability of artificial duck nests to avian predators

Use of artificial nests in studies of nest success in birds has become increasingly popular, but this practice has been criticised because the appearance and success of artificial nests may differ from natural nests. Typically, artificial nests are presented with few visible eggs throughout the entire exposure period while natural nests during their life have different appearances, possibly producing stage-dependent predation rates. In ducks, nests may appear with openly visible eggs, eggs covered with nest material and covered by an incubating female. To test how nest appearance may affect nest survival, I simulated such duck nest appearances, and used direct observations to record responses of marsh harriers Circus aeruginosus , the dominant duck nest predator at the Lake Engure, Latvia, during the breeding seasons 2000–2002. I recorded 274 harrier flights over all types of artificial nests, 74 nest discoveries and 54 predation events. Logistic regression analyses showed that nest appearance was a significant predictor of the fate of the nest: nests with openly visible eggs were discovered more often than nests covered with nest material. Nests with dummy females had discovery rates similar to the average of all artificial nest types suggesting that they best reflect the predation risk of artificial nests and could be used in future studies. After discovering nests covered with dummy females, harriers never attacked but tried to scare them off to get access to the eggs. In 52% of cases of nest discovery, harriers gave up before touching the dummy. This shows that duck passive nest defence may prevent clutch predation.     

The effect of heat hardening on the heat resistance of some enzymes from plant leaves

Summary Heat hardening of leaves which leads to an increase in the heat resistance of their cells, also increases the heat resistance of their enzymes (urease, acid phosphatase, ATPase). As judged by the temperature reducing enzyme activity by 50%, the heat resistance increased by about 6° and 4°, respectively, for urease and acid phosphatase of cucumber, about 7° for acid phosphatase of wheat, and 1,5° for ATPase of Caragana. Increased heat resistance of acid phosphatase and ATPase caused by heat hardening was accompanied by a decrease in the activity ofthese enzymes. The activity of urease was not affected by heat hardening. It is assumed that the cause of this increase in thermal resistance of enzymes is a stabilization of protein macromolecules during heat hardening of leaves.     

The effect of wind on shore gastropods

A preliminary investigation into the effect of wind on shore gastropods has been undertaken. Moderate winds displace some Monodonta lineata (da Costa) from boulders on the shore and some individuals detach within six hours in weaker winds in the laboratory (5–10 km/h, 10°C, 94% humidity). Sheltered aspects of the rock are used to minimize the effects of the wind on shores, and maintenance movements on the shore are extensive.  

Summary:

In calm conditions and in light winds Monodonta lineata is more widely dispersed about the rocks than in moderate winds when the animals are either sheltering in cracks or displaced.
Providing the rock surface is damp then animals continue to move about during emersion in light winds. On a small boulder beach animals moved as much as 4 m upshore during one tidal cycle. Only slight reorientation movements were recorded during moderate winds.
Animals withstand a windspeed of 4 km/h for six hours in a wind tunnel in a humidity of 94% at 10°C, but are displaced within an hour by 10 km/h winds in similar conditions.     

Effect of wind speed on loss of water from Nostoc flagelliforme colonies

The effects of wind speed on loss of water from N. flagelliforme colonies were investigated indoors in an attempt to assess its ecological significance in field. Wind enhanced the process of waterloss; the half-time of desiccation at wind speeds of 2.0 and 3.4 m s^-1 was, respectively, shortened to one-third and one-fifth at 20°C and, to one-sixth and one-eighth at 27°C that of still air. Photosynthetic efficiency was not affected before the wet alga lost about 50% water. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Role of the udder in heat loss from the sheep

Measurements have been made of temperatures on the surface of the udder, the back under the fleece, the exremities, and of the body core in sheep. The temperature on the surface of the udder changes very little in response to changes in ambient temperature, and, unlike the temperature on the back, and of the body core, there was no evidence of a 24 h variation. It is concluded that the udder does not function as an organ of controlled heat loss in sheep.     

Meaningful wind chill indicators derived from heat transfer principles

The wind chill index (WCI) and the more widely used wind chill equivalent temperature represent an attempt to combine several weather-related variables (temperature, wind velocity and solar radiation) into a single index which can indicate human comfort. Since its introduction in 1945, the WCI has been criticized mainly on the ground that the underlying model does not comply with modern heat transfer theory. In spite of that, the WCI, calibrated to human comfort, has proven to be successful in predicting discomfort and tolerance of man to the cold. Nevertheless, neither the WCI nor the wind chill equivalent temperature can be actually measured and, therefore, without the additional calibration they are meaningless. In this study we have shown that the WCI represents the instantaneous rate of heat loss from bare skin at the moment of exposure to the cold, and as such, it correlates reasonably well with measurable variables that represent a feeling of cold. Two new wind chill indicators have been introduced: exposed skin temperature and maximum exposure time. These indicators yield more information than the WCI provides, are measurable, have physical meaning and are based on established heat transfer principles.