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Transcript
Diving Physiology of
Marine Mammals
Fundamental Challenge
AIR / OXYGEN
Separation of
Critical Resources
FOOD
NUTRIENTS
Marine Mammals

Cetacea: odontocetes and mysticetes

Pinnipedia: otariids, phocids and odobenids

Sirenia: manatees and dugongs

Carnivora: sea otters & polar bears
Mysticeti
Cetaceans
Odontoceti
Pinnipeds
Otariids
Odobenids
Phocids
Sirenians
Manatee
Dugong
Carnivores
Sea Otter
Polar Bear
Special Adaptations

Anatomical and physiological adaptations in
the respiratory & cardiovascular systems,
blood, and peripheral tissues result in:
◦ Efficient ventilation
◦ Enhanced oxygen storage
◦ Regulated transport and delivery of
respiratory gases
◦ Extreme hypoxic tolerance
◦ Pressure tolerance
Diving Behavior
Dive duration
 Dive depth

Diving Behavior:
Cetaceans
SPERM WHALES:
 Routine dives :
 400m for 40min
 Maximum depths:
 2000m
BEAKED WHALES:
 Routine dives:
◦ 800 m for 60 min

Maximum durations:
◦ 120 min
Diving Behavior:
Cetaceans

Bottlenose dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus)
typically dive <5 min
& <20 m

Large baleen whales
typically dive <5 min;
can reach depths of
200 m
Diving Behavior:
Pinnipeds

Large phocid seals are the longest-duration
divers among the pinnipeds

Maximum depths range: 600m to 1500 m
Diving Behavior:

Pinnipeds
Routine dive durations of most other
phocid seals are less than 10 min.
Diving Behavior:
Pinnipeds
OTARIIDS
Routine dives:
<3 to 4 min
ODOBENIDS:
Routine dives:
<4 to 6 min
Diving Behavior:

Sirinians
Typical dives: 2 to 3 min, 12 m at most
Diving Behavior:

Sea Otters
Average Dives: 1 to 3 min, <30 m deep.
Diving Fundamentals

Dive Response:
◦ Apnea
◦ Bradycardia
◦ Peripheral Vasoconstriction

Oxygen Stores:
◦ Lungs
◦ Blood
◦ Muscle
Researching Diving Physiology

Per Scholander (1905-1980)– observations
of cartilaginous reinforcement of airways

Hypothesis - more rigid airways would allow:
◦ Movement of air into those airways during
compression of the lungs at depth
◦ Alveolar collapse
◦ Cessation of gas exchange, and, in particular,
nitrogen absorption at depth
Researching Diving Physiology

Kooyman and colleagues documented the
airway reinforcement of diving mammals in
comparison to terrestrial mammals.

Most prominent in cetaceans and sea lions
◦ Cartilaginous reinforcement: trachea to alveoli

Less so in walruses and sea otters
◦ Distal airways reinforced by a mix of cartilage
and muscular elements
Respiratory Mechanics

Reinforcement of the distal airways in
diving mammals allows for the movement
of air from the alveoli into the bronchi
during lung compression

Promotes collapse of the alveoli and
cessation of gas exchange at depth.
Respiratory Mechanics

Maximum expiratory flow rates:
◦ 162 liters s−1 in bottlenose dolphins
◦ 202 liters s−1 in young gray whales

Necessary in cetaceans since exhalation
and inhalation occur in less than 1s

Such flows allow for a tidal volume as high
as 88% of TLC in the pilot whale.
Respiratory Mechanics

High flow rates minimize the time for
exhalation/inhalation cycle

Rapid breaths allow animals to spend
most of their travel time below the
surface where drag is less
Lung Volumes

Lung volumes of diving mammals are in the
general range of terrestrial mammals.

Notable exceptions:
◦ small lungs of the deep-diving bottlenose whale
◦ large lungs of the shallow-diving sea otter.
Diving Lung Volumes

Diving lung volumes:
◦ lung volume at the start of a dive
◦ important determinants of the size of the
respiratory O2 store during a dive.

Many cetaceans appear to dive on inspiration,
while pinnipeds usually dive on expiration.

Consequently, the diving lung volumes of
cetaceans are probably near TLC, while
pinnipeds are closer to 40-50% TLC
Oxygen Transport - Hb

Marine mammals have exceptionally high [Hb]
values compared to terrestrial mammals.

O2 affinity of Hb not that different from
terrestrial counterparts

The P50, the O2 partial pressure at 50% Hb
saturation, is in the range of 26 to 30 mmHg

Hb is most elevated in long-duration divers.
Oxygen Transport - Mb

[Mb] in diving mammals are 10 to 30
times that found in terrestrial mammals.

High [Mb] have long been considered to
serve as an O2 store during diving.

High [Mb] also facilitate O2 diffusion
Calculating O2 Stores
◦ Lung
◦ Blood
◦ Muscle
TOTAL OXYGEN STORES
Total Body O2 Stores

Total body O2 stores of diving mammals
on a mass-specific basis range from two
to five times that of human O2 stores

Also notable is the change in the
distribution of O2 stores among species.
Distribution of Body O2 Stores
Species
mL O2 kg-1
Lung %
Blood %
Muscle %
Human
20
24
57
15
Odontocetes
35
22
30
48
Otariids
40
13
54
33
Phocids
60
7
65
28
Sea Otter
55
55
29
16
Manatee
21
33
60
7
Circulatory Responses

Cardiovascular regulation is critical during
diving of all marine mammal species.
Changes in heart rate and cardiac output
contribute to:
(1) the rate of O2 uptake from the lungs
(2) the magnitude of O2 delivery and
consumption in tissues

Diving Heart Rate

The physiological hallmark of diving is a
decrease in heart rate during dives.

Bradycardia

Extreme example: 7 bpm average heart
rate of a gray seal during a 14 min dive
Circulatory Responses

Bradycardia ( HR)

Peripheral Vasoconstriction: blood
flow and blood O2 conserved for the heart
and brain, directed away from peripheral
tissues and other organs

HR and perfusion control the rate of
depletion of the blood and lung O2 stores.
Diving Heart Rate

Increase in heart rate during ascent =
anticipatory tachycardia

Allows increased muscle blood flow and
O2 extraction  blood O2 is depleted by
the end of the dive and increases Po2
gradient

Maximizes respiratory gas exchange, and
minimizes duration of surface interval.
Aerobic Dive Limit

Oxygen stores and oxygen utilization
dictate the amount of time an animal can
spend underwater
Aerobic Dive Limit


Defined by Kooyman (1983) as the amount of time
an animal may spend diving before an increase in
blood lactate levels occurs.
Determining factor in the amount of time an animal
is capable of foraging underwater.
Blood

cADL= total body oxygen stores
oxygen demand
Muscle
Lung
Ecological Implications
Consequences for Immature
Animals
What does all of this mean
for immature marine
animals?

Increased Metabolic Rates

Limited Oxygen Stores
Increased Metabolic Demand
Northern Elephant Seal
(Mirounga angustirostris)
Harbor Seal
(Phoca vitulina)
Burns et al. 2005
Rea & Costa 1992
Thorson & LeBoeuf
1994
Weddell Seal
(Leptonychotes weddellii)
California Sea Lion
(Zalophus
californianus)
Liwanag et al. 2009
Ponganis et al. 1993
Limited Oxygen Stores
Emperor Penguins
(Aptenodytes forsteri)

Blood Oxygen Stores:
6 mo = At/Near Adult Levels

Muscle Oxygen Stores:
6 mo = 31% adult values
Ponganis et al. 1999
Limited Oxygen Stores
Bottlenose Dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus)

Total Body Oxygen Stores = >3 Years
Noren et al. 2002
Ecological Implications
cADL = TOTAL OXYGEN STORES
OXYGEN DEMANDS
9 min
19.1 min
Ponganis et al. 1993
Ecological Implications
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJvfjiCTvq4