Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse (2024)

Czenze, Z. J., Freeman, M. T., Kemp, R., van Jaarsveld, B., Wolf, B. O., & McKechnie, A. E. (2021). Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9, 1-12. Article 799302. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.799302

Czenze, Z.J. ; Freeman, M.T. ; Kemp, R. et al. / Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse. In: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 2021 ; Vol. 9. pp. 1-12.

@article{8ac7020c45984570ac6384caf7b147d0,

title = "Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse",

abstract = "Avian evaporative cooling and the maintenance of body temperature (Tb) below lethal limits during heat exposure has received more attention in small species compared to larger-bodied taxa. Here, we examined thermoregulation at air temperatures (Tair) approaching and exceeding normothermic Tb in three larger birds that use gular flutter, thought to provide the basis for pronounced evaporative cooling capacity and heat tolerance. We quantified Tb, evaporative water loss (EWL) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in the ∼170-g Namaqua sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua), ∼430-g spotted thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) and ∼670-g spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus), using flow-through respirometry and a stepped Tair profile with very low chamber humidities. All three species tolerated Tair of 56–60°C before the onset of severe hyperthermia, with maximum Tb of 43.2°C, 44.3°C, and 44.2°C in sandgrouse, thick-knees and eagle-owls, respectively. Evaporative scope (i.e., maximum EWL/minimum thermoneutral EWL) was 7.4 in sandgrouse, 12.9 in thick-knees and 7.8 in eagle-owls. The relationship between RMR and Tair varied substantially among species: whereas thick-knees and eagle-owls showed clear upper critical limits of thermoneutrality above which RMR increased rapidly and linearly, sandgrouse did not. Maximum evaporative heat loss/metabolic heat production ranged from 2.8 (eagle-owls) to 5.5 (sandgrouse), the latter the highest avian value yet reported. Our data reveal some larger species with gular flutter possess pronounced evaporative cooling capacity and heat tolerance and, when taken together with published data, show thermoregulatory performance varies widely among species larger than 250 g. Our data for Namaqua sandgrouse reveal unexpectedly pronounced variation in the metabolic costs of evaporative cooling within the genus Pterocles.",

keywords = "Charadriiformes, heat tolerance, hyperthermia, Pterocliformes, Strigiformes, thermoregulation",

author = "Z.J. Czenze and M.T. Freeman and R. Kemp and {van Jaarsveld}, B. and B.O. Wolf and A.E. McKechnie",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

doi = "10.3389/fevo.2021.799302",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "1--12",

journal = "Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution",

issn = "2296-701X",

publisher = "Frontiers Media",

}

Czenze, ZJ, Freeman, MT, Kemp, R, van Jaarsveld, B, Wolf, BO & McKechnie, AE 2021, 'Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse', Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 9, 799302, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.799302

Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse. / Czenze, Z.J.; Freeman, M.T.; Kemp, R. et al.
In: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol. 9, 799302, 12.2021, p. 1-12.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse

AU - Czenze, Z.J.

AU - Freeman, M.T.

AU - Kemp, R.

AU - van Jaarsveld, B.

AU - Wolf, B.O.

AU - McKechnie, A.E.

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Avian evaporative cooling and the maintenance of body temperature (Tb) below lethal limits during heat exposure has received more attention in small species compared to larger-bodied taxa. Here, we examined thermoregulation at air temperatures (Tair) approaching and exceeding normothermic Tb in three larger birds that use gular flutter, thought to provide the basis for pronounced evaporative cooling capacity and heat tolerance. We quantified Tb, evaporative water loss (EWL) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in the ∼170-g Namaqua sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua), ∼430-g spotted thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) and ∼670-g spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus), using flow-through respirometry and a stepped Tair profile with very low chamber humidities. All three species tolerated Tair of 56–60°C before the onset of severe hyperthermia, with maximum Tb of 43.2°C, 44.3°C, and 44.2°C in sandgrouse, thick-knees and eagle-owls, respectively. Evaporative scope (i.e., maximum EWL/minimum thermoneutral EWL) was 7.4 in sandgrouse, 12.9 in thick-knees and 7.8 in eagle-owls. The relationship between RMR and Tair varied substantially among species: whereas thick-knees and eagle-owls showed clear upper critical limits of thermoneutrality above which RMR increased rapidly and linearly, sandgrouse did not. Maximum evaporative heat loss/metabolic heat production ranged from 2.8 (eagle-owls) to 5.5 (sandgrouse), the latter the highest avian value yet reported. Our data reveal some larger species with gular flutter possess pronounced evaporative cooling capacity and heat tolerance and, when taken together with published data, show thermoregulatory performance varies widely among species larger than 250 g. Our data for Namaqua sandgrouse reveal unexpectedly pronounced variation in the metabolic costs of evaporative cooling within the genus Pterocles.

AB - Avian evaporative cooling and the maintenance of body temperature (Tb) below lethal limits during heat exposure has received more attention in small species compared to larger-bodied taxa. Here, we examined thermoregulation at air temperatures (Tair) approaching and exceeding normothermic Tb in three larger birds that use gular flutter, thought to provide the basis for pronounced evaporative cooling capacity and heat tolerance. We quantified Tb, evaporative water loss (EWL) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in the ∼170-g Namaqua sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua), ∼430-g spotted thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) and ∼670-g spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus), using flow-through respirometry and a stepped Tair profile with very low chamber humidities. All three species tolerated Tair of 56–60°C before the onset of severe hyperthermia, with maximum Tb of 43.2°C, 44.3°C, and 44.2°C in sandgrouse, thick-knees and eagle-owls, respectively. Evaporative scope (i.e., maximum EWL/minimum thermoneutral EWL) was 7.4 in sandgrouse, 12.9 in thick-knees and 7.8 in eagle-owls. The relationship between RMR and Tair varied substantially among species: whereas thick-knees and eagle-owls showed clear upper critical limits of thermoneutrality above which RMR increased rapidly and linearly, sandgrouse did not. Maximum evaporative heat loss/metabolic heat production ranged from 2.8 (eagle-owls) to 5.5 (sandgrouse), the latter the highest avian value yet reported. Our data reveal some larger species with gular flutter possess pronounced evaporative cooling capacity and heat tolerance and, when taken together with published data, show thermoregulatory performance varies widely among species larger than 250 g. Our data for Namaqua sandgrouse reveal unexpectedly pronounced variation in the metabolic costs of evaporative cooling within the genus Pterocles.

KW - Charadriiformes

KW - heat tolerance

KW - hyperthermia

KW - Pterocliformes

KW - Strigiformes

KW - thermoregulation

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U2 - 10.3389/fevo.2021.799302

DO - 10.3389/fevo.2021.799302

M3 - Article

SN - 2296-701X

VL - 9

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

JF - Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

M1 - 799302

ER -

Czenze ZJ, Freeman MT, Kemp R, van Jaarsveld B, Wolf BO, McKechnie AE. Efficient Evaporative Cooling and Pronounced Heat Tolerance in an Eagle-Owl, a Thick-Knee and a Sandgrouse. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 2021 Dec;9:1-12. 799302. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.799302