title: Energy requirements of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks.
abstract: The energy requirements of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks were analysed with respect to body mass (W, 0.145-3.35 kg, n = 36) and various forms of activity (lying, standing, minor activity, locomotion, walking on a treadmill). Direct respirometry was used to measure O2 consumption (VO2, l.h-1) and CO2 production. Heart rate (HR, bpm) was recorded from the ECG obtained by both externally attached electrodes and implantable HR-transmitters. The parameters measured were not affected by hand-rearing of the chicks or by implanting transmitters. HR measured in the laboratory and in the field were comparable. Oxygen uptake ranged from VO2 = 1.50.W0.921 in lying chicks to VO2 = 2.25.W1.024 at maximal activity, RQ = 0.76. Metabolic rate in small wild chicks (0.14-0.38 kg) was not affected by time of day, nor was their feeding frequency in the colony (Dec 20-21). Regressions of HR on VO2 were highly significant (p less than 0.0001) in transmitter implanted chicks (n = 4), and two relationships are proposed for the pooled data, one for minor activities (VO2 = -7.23 + 1.82.W + 0.03 HR), and one for walking (VO2 = -11.89 + 1.117.W + 0.058.HR). Oxygen consumption, mass of the chick (2-3 kg), and duration of walking (T, s) were related as VO2 = -0.746 + 1.87.W + 0.076.T, whereas mass-specific O2 consumption was related to walking speed (S, m.s-1) as VO2.W-1 = 1.60 + 7.39.S.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Meereskunde, Abteilung Meereszoologie, Kiel, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Culik
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Woakes
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adelung
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Coria
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Spairani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate; D009043:Motor Activity; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012119:Respiration
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide