Cold-hearted bats: uncoupling of heart rate and metabolism during torpor at sub-zero temperatures

Author(s)
Currie, Shannon E
Stawski, Clare
Geiser, Fritz
Publication Date
2018-01
Abstract
<p>Many hibernating animals thermoregulate during torpor and defend their body temperature (T<sub>b</sub>) near 0°C by an increase in metabolic rate. Above a critical temperature (T<sub>crit</sub>), animals usually thermoconform. We investigated the physiological responses above and below T<sub>crit</sub> for a small tree-dwelling bat (<i>Chalinolobus gouldii</i>, ∼14 g) that is often exposed to sub-zero temperatures during winter. Through simultaneous measurement of heart rate (f<sub>H</sub>) and oxygen consumption (V̇<sub>O<sub>2</sub></sub>), we show that the relationship between oxygen transport and cardiac function is substantially altered in thermoregulating torpid bats between 1 and -2°C, compared with thermoconforming torpid bats at mild ambient temperatures (T<sub>a</sub> 5-20°C). T<sub>crit</sub> for this species was at a T<sub>a</sub> of 0.7±0.4°C, with a corresponding T<sub>b</sub> of 1.8±1.2°C. Below T<sub>crit</sub>, animals began to thermoregulate, as indicated by a considerable but disproportionate increase in both fH and V̇<sub>O<sub>2</sub></sub>. The maximum increase in f<sub>H</sub> was only 4-fold greater than the average thermoconforming minimum, compared with a 46-fold increase in V̇<sub>O<sub>2</sub></sub>. The differential response of f<sub>H</sub> and V̇<sub>O<sub>2</sub></sub> to low T<sub>a</sub> was reflected in a 15-fold increase in oxygen delivery per heart beat (cardiac oxygen pulse). During torpor at low T<sub>a</sub>, thermoregulating bats maintained a relatively slow f<sub>H</sub> and compensated for increased metabolic demands by significantly increasing stroke volume and tissue oxygen extraction. Our study provides new information on the relationship between metabolism and f<sub>H</sub> in an unstudied physiological state that may occur frequently in the wild and can be extremely costly for heterothermic animals.</p>
Citation
The Journal of Experimental Biology, 221(1), p. 1-8
ISSN
1477-9145
0022-0949
Pubmed ID
29113989
Link
Publisher
The Company of Biologists Ltd
Title
Cold-hearted bats: uncoupling of heart rate and metabolism during torpor at sub-zero temperatures
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

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