My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our recent publication:
Erdsack N, McCully Phillips SR, Rommel SA, Pabst DA, McLellan WA,
Reynolds JE, III (2018) Heat flux in manatees: an individual matter and
a novel approach to assess and monitor the thermal state of Florida
manatees (/Trichechus manatus latirostris/). Journal of Comparative
Physiology B (online first). doi:10.1007/s00360-018-1152-7
Abstract:
Florida manatees (/Trichechus manatus latirostris/) possess an unusual
suite of adaptations to accommodate both a fully aquatic lifestyle and
an herbivorous diet, including a low metabolic rate and a very limited
thermoneutral zone. Their relatively high lower critical temperature of
around 20 °C suggests strong sensitivity to cold, thereby limiting their
distribution to tropical and subtropical waters. “Cold stress syndrome”
affects and kills Florida manatees every year during intense or
prolonged cold weather, posing one of the major threats to manatees.
However, knowledge regarding manatee thermoregulation is sparse, but
essential for effective conservation and management of this threatened
species. We measured heat flux in two captive Florida manatees at
multiple times of the year, at 41 sites distributed across the entire
body surface of each manatee. Heat flux differed significantly between
individuals, and among body sites and times of the year. The pectoral
flippers and axillae were identified as areas with highest heat
exchange. Despite exposure to constant water temperature throughout the
year, the manatees in this study had significantly lower heat flux in
winter than in summer. We used the measured heat flux values to
calculate total heat dissipation in individual manatees. The values
estimated this way correspond well with the low metabolic rates
estimated in previous studies, confirming the reliability of our novel
approach. Our method provides simple and useful options for enhancing
manatee welfare by monitoring the animals’ thermal state during
potentially stressful activities such as during medical treatment,
capture restraints and transportation.
The article is available online at
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00360-018-1152-7
Best regards,
Nicola Erdsack
****************************
Nicola Erdsack, Ph.D.
Postdoc Manatee Research
Mote Marine Laboratory
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy
Sarasota, FL 34236
phone +1-941-388-4441, ext. 248
cell +1-941-284-0708
erds...@mote.org
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