Ontogenetic study of thermoregulation in birds

• Published in: Journal of thermal biology Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 281 - 286
• Main Authors: Tazawa, H., Moriya, K., Tamura, A., Komoro, T., Akiyama, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2001
• Subjects: Chick embryo; chickens; chicks; cooling; Cooling rate coefficient; Cooling test; early development; eggs; embryo (animal); heart rate; heat production; Instantaneous heart rate; Newton's law of cooling; ontogeny; Oxygen consumption; Quasi-equilibrium temperature; Temperature coefficient; thermal conductivity; thermoregulation; Cooling rate coefficient; Temperature coefficient; Quasi-equilibrium temperature; Chick embryo; Newton's law of cooling; Oxygen consumption; Cooling test; Instantaneous heart rate
• ISSN: 0306-4565; 1879-0992
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4565(01)00031-6

We reviewed our ontogenetic studies of thermoregulatory capacity in avian embryos in relation to metabolic responses to egg cooling.Basic understanding of abrupt egg cooling and quasi-equilibrium state of cooling was discussed together with egg's thermal conductance and heat production.Two cooling tests, which were designed to minimize the rate of heat loss during cooling, were conducted to investigate a feeble compensatory metabolic response to cooling in precocial and altricial embryos, and models for early development of homeothermy in birds were suggested.Instantaneous heart rate (IHR) response to cooling was measured in chick embryos. The baseline of IHR rised and became oscillating. HR oscillation may be a phenomenon related to thermoregulation, which needs to be studied.