D9 Physiological Telemetry

Title

D9 describes the use of implantable cardiac recorders (15 g ECG dataloggers) to estimate the bird's metabolic expenditure during free flight under natural conditions, without the wind tunnel restrictions required by D5. The principle of the method is that the heart rate f_c is a proxy for the cardiac output Q_c, and this in turn determines the rate of delivery of O to the muscle and therefore P_met. The relationship f_cP_met is nonlinear and species-specific; It must be calibrated in a wind tunnel with simultaneous costometry (D5) before deployment in the field. Once calibrated, f_c in the field allows estimating P_met with sufficient precision to study flight modes (E15) and detect A7 (f_c increases disproportionately when the bird resorts to protein catabolism) and A8 (neural toxins alter the autonomic control of the heart, modifying RR variability regardless of effort). D9 connects the cardiovascular module to the P_max limit of E12 and A6.

ID:4229