Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal
A major weakness in predicting habitat change impacts in polar regions is that little is actually known about energetic costs of basic thermoregulation in high‐latitude seals and other apex predators. Characteristics of body size and condition (surface area: volume ratios, insulation) are likely to...
Published in: | The FASEB Journal |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Other Authors: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wiley
2013
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 |
id |
crwiley:10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crwiley:10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 2024-06-02T08:15:46+00:00 Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal Hindle, Allyson Horning, Markus Mellish, Jo‐Ann National Science Foundation 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor The FASEB Journal volume 27, issue S1 ISSN 0892-6638 1530-6860 journal-article 2013 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 2024-05-03T10:52:47Z A major weakness in predicting habitat change impacts in polar regions is that little is actually known about energetic costs of basic thermoregulation in high‐latitude seals and other apex predators. Characteristics of body size and condition (surface area: volume ratios, insulation) are likely to affect heat loss and manifest as altered thresholds for thermal homeostasis. We monitored the thermal interface between animal‐environment directly via skin surface heat flux sensors (HFS) and indirectly with infrared thermography (IRT) in Weddell seals (n=42) over 2–7d. Utilizing 4 life history categories—pups, juveniles, non‐reproductive adult females (skip breeders) and post‐weaning females—we tested for effect of body size and known insulation patterns (blubber depth via imaging ultrasound). IRT surface temperature maxima and range suggested 4 sites of interest for HFS placement and continued monitoring: axilla (variable hot), head (hot), flank (variable cold) and neck (cold). IRT‐generated surface temperature distribution histograms further permitted the partitioning of body surface area such that an integrated thermal profile could be modeled from HFS data collected at these 4 sites. With this tool we can for the first time examine thermal homeostasis in free‐ranging seals over a range of potentially changing environments. Funded by NSF Polar Programs. Article in Journal/Newspaper Weddell Seal Weddell Seals Wiley Online Library Weddell The FASEB Journal 27 S1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wiley Online Library |
op_collection_id |
crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
A major weakness in predicting habitat change impacts in polar regions is that little is actually known about energetic costs of basic thermoregulation in high‐latitude seals and other apex predators. Characteristics of body size and condition (surface area: volume ratios, insulation) are likely to affect heat loss and manifest as altered thresholds for thermal homeostasis. We monitored the thermal interface between animal‐environment directly via skin surface heat flux sensors (HFS) and indirectly with infrared thermography (IRT) in Weddell seals (n=42) over 2–7d. Utilizing 4 life history categories—pups, juveniles, non‐reproductive adult females (skip breeders) and post‐weaning females—we tested for effect of body size and known insulation patterns (blubber depth via imaging ultrasound). IRT surface temperature maxima and range suggested 4 sites of interest for HFS placement and continued monitoring: axilla (variable hot), head (hot), flank (variable cold) and neck (cold). IRT‐generated surface temperature distribution histograms further permitted the partitioning of body surface area such that an integrated thermal profile could be modeled from HFS data collected at these 4 sites. With this tool we can for the first time examine thermal homeostasis in free‐ranging seals over a range of potentially changing environments. Funded by NSF Polar Programs. |
author2 |
National Science Foundation |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hindle, Allyson Horning, Markus Mellish, Jo‐Ann |
spellingShingle |
Hindle, Allyson Horning, Markus Mellish, Jo‐Ann Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal |
author_facet |
Hindle, Allyson Horning, Markus Mellish, Jo‐Ann |
author_sort |
Hindle, Allyson |
title |
Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal |
title_short |
Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal |
title_full |
Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal |
title_fullStr |
Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal |
title_full_unstemmed |
Profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the Weddell seal |
title_sort |
profiling heat loss in an extreme polar mammal, the weddell seal |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 |
geographic |
Weddell |
geographic_facet |
Weddell |
genre |
Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
genre_facet |
Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
op_source |
The FASEB Journal volume 27, issue S1 ISSN 0892-6638 1530-6860 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb734 |
container_title |
The FASEB Journal |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
S1 |
_version_ |
1800740058592968704 |