Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/3902
Title: Effects of Helium/Oxygen and Temperature on Aerobic Metabolism in the Marsupial Sugar Glider, 'Petaurus breviceps'
Contributor(s): Holloway, Joanne C (author); Geiser, Fritz  (author)orcid 
Publication Date: 2001
DOI: 10.1086/319666
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/3902
Abstract: Helox (79% helium and 21% oxygen) has often been used for thermobiological studies, primarily because helium is thought to be metabolically inert and to produce no adverse effects other than increasing heat loss. However, these assumptions have been questioned. As basal metabolic rate (BMR) represents maintenance energy requirements for vital body functions, potential physiological effects of helox should be reflected in changes of BMR. In this study, sugar gliders were subjected to both air and helox atmospheres over a wide range of Ta's, including the thermoneutral zone (TNZ), to determine (1) whether helox has any influence other than on heat loss and (2) the maximum heat production (HPmax) and thermal limits of this species. Although thermal conductance in the TNZ increased in helox, BMR was similar in air and helox (0.55 ± 0.07 and 0.57 ±.06 mL g⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively). The TNZ in helox, however, was shifted upwards by about 3°C. Below the TNZ, sugar gliders were able to withstand an effective temperature of -24.7 ± 7.3°C with an HPmax of 3.14 ± 0.36 mL g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The low effective temperature tolerated by sugar gliders shows that they are competent thermoregulators despite their apparent lack of functional brown fat. Similarities of BMRs in air and helox suggest that the effect of helox is restricted to an increase of heat loss, and, consequently, helox represents a useful tool for thermal physiologists. Moreover, the lack of increase of BMR in helox despite an increase in thermal conductance of sugar gliders suggests that BMR is not a function of body surface.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 74(2), p. 219-225
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Place of Publication: United States of America
ISSN: 1537-5293
1522-2152
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 060604 Comparative Physiology
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article

Files in This Item:
2 files
File Description SizeFormat 
Show full item record

SCOPUSTM   
Citations

32
checked on May 18, 2024

Page view(s)

1,100
checked on May 19, 2024
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.