Gas Exchange of the Avian Egg: Time, Structure, and Function

• Published in: American zoologist Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 477 - 484
• Main Authors: Rahn, Hermann, Ar, Amos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Society of Zoologists 01-01-1980
• Subjects: Animal physiology; Egg masses; Eggs; Eggshells; Incubation; Life span; Mammals; Metabolism; Physiology of the Avian Egg; Water loss; Water vapor
• ISSN: 0003-1569; 2162-4445
• DOI: 10.1093/icb/20.2.477

Data are presented for oxygen consumption, water loss during incubation, water vapor conductance of the shell, and pore number of avian eggs and the way in which these values relate not only to egg mass but also to incubation time. It is proposed that all these functions are proportional to the product of egg mass and rate of development where the latter is defined as the inverse of incubation time. These interrelationships account at the end of incubation for similar O2and CO2tensions in the air space of eggs, utilization of calories$(0.5\ {\rm kcal}\cdot {\rm g}^{-1})$, and water loss$(.15\ {\rm g}\cdot {\rm g}^{-1})$.