RE: Any in-depth, comprehensive studies on the avian respiratory complex?

[Toby White <mwhite@houston.rr.com>]

The following refs may be useful:

Schmidt-Nielsen, K (1990) Animal Physiology: Adaptation and Environment 
Cambridge, pp 42-47.

This is just an overview.  For a more detailed look at how the trick is 
done, see:

Baumel, JJ, JA Wilson & DR Bergren (1990), "The ventilatory movements of 
the avian pelvis and tail: the function of the muscles of the tail region 
of the pigeon (Columba livia)."  J. Exp. Biol. 151:263.

and references cited there.  (Apologies for misspellings, the ref is from 
some old hand-written notes taken in great haste).

One problem is that the exact respiratory movements may differ according to 
whether the bird is flying, standing or perching.  The avian system seems 
to allow for considerable flexibility.

  --Toby White

Vertebrate Notes at
http://home.houston.rr.com/vnotes/index.htm
and http://www.dinodata.net



-----Original Message-----
From:   Henri Ronkko [SMTP:overmind@iobox.fi]
Sent:   Thursday, June 15, 2000 11:36 AM
To:     2000 16:36:23.EET.DST@spool.iobox.fi
Subject:        Any in-depth, comprehensive studies on the avian respiratory 
complex?


 Dear all,

There seems to be many views on the nature of the avian respiratory system. 
For example, some claim that uncinate processes are critical for operating 
the abdominal air sacs, while some believe they aren't, and consider that 
their main function is stiffening the rib cage. Paul said that elongated 
posterior ribs are an indicator of air sac breathing, but there doesn't 
seem to be consensus on this either. And so on. Do you know if there are 
any in-depth, comprehensive studies on the respiratory complex of the 
birds? One, that would also make a difference between known fact and wild 
speculation?
----
Soittoaanet ja ikonit matkapuhelimeen!  http://www.iobox.fi/