Limits to load-lifting performance in a passerine bird: the effects of intraspecific variation in morphological and kinematic parameters

PeerJ

article

Yang Wang¹  Yuan Yin¹  Shiyong Ge¹  Mo Li¹  Qian Zhang¹  Juyong Li¹  Yuefeng Wu¹  Dongming Li¹  Robert Dudley² 

[1] Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University;Department of Integrative Biology, University of California

关键词: Eurasian tree sparrow;    Flight performance;    Kinematics;    Maximum load-lifting capacity;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.8048

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Although more massive flight muscles along with larger wings, higher wingbeat frequencies and greater stroke amplitudes enhance force and power production in flapping flight, the extent to which these parameters may be correlated with other morphological features relevant to flight physiology and biomechanics remains unclear. Intraspecifically, we hypothesized that greater vertical load-lifting capacity would correlate with higher wingbeat frequencies and relatively more massive flight muscles, along with relatively bigger hearts, lungs, and stomachs to enhance metabolic capacity and energy supply, but also with smaller body size given the overall negative allometric dependence of maximum flight performance in volant taxa. To explore intraspecific correlates of flight performance, we assembled a large dataset that included 13 morphological and kinematic variables for a non-migratory passerine, the Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus). We found that heavier flight muscles and larger wings, heavier stomachs and shorter bills were the most important correlates of maximum load-lifting capacity. Surprisingly, wingbeat frequency, wing stroke amplitude and masses of the heart, lungs and digestive organs (except for the stomach) were non-significant predictor variables relative to lifting capacity. The best-fit structural equation model (SEM) indicated that load-lifting capacity was positively correlated with flight muscle mass, wing area and stomach mass, but was negatively correlated with bill length. Characterization of individual variability in flight performance in a free-ranging passerine indicates the subtlety of interaction effects among morphological features, some of which differ from those that have been identified interspecifically for maximum flight performance in birds.

【 授权许可】

CC BY