Summary
Water turnover rates were measured in gentoo and macaroni penguins breeding sympatrically on South Georgia Island. At the time of this study, adult male macaronis were attending the nest while female macaronis and both sexes of adult gentoos were making regular foraging trips to sea and returning to feed their chicks. Both species feed principally on krill, Euphausia superba, although gentoos also feed on fish. The average water turnover rate in 2 fasting male macaronis was 12.5 ml·kg-1·day-1 with a half-time for water turnover of 36 days. The mean water flux rate in feeding birds was 155 ml·kg-1·day-1 in gentoos and 184 ml·kg-1·day-1 in macaronis. The half-times for water turnover were 2.8 days, and 2.6 days, respectively. The average metabolic rate of fasting macaronis calculated from water turnover rates was 5.6 W·kg-1 or 1.8 x the standard metabolic rate (SMR). In order to calculate prey consumption and average daily metabolic rate (ADMR) from water flux rates in feeding birds, it was assumed that a) the only sources of water are from metabolism and performed water in the diet and b) the composition of the diet is known. Based on the type of prey consumed, the calculated ADMR was 7.1 W·kg-1 or 2.6×SMR (n=5) for gentoos and 9.1 W·kg-1 or 2.9×SMR (n=3) for macaronis. The ADMR of female macaronis making regular trips to sea was 1.6 x greater than the fasting metabolism of males brooding the chick.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Aschoff J, Pohl H (1970) Rhythmic variations in energy metabolism. Fed Proc 29:1541–1551
Biomass (1977) Biological investigations of marine Antarctic systems and stocks, vol I. Research proposals. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, 79 pp
Biomass (1981) Biological investigations of marine Antarctic systems and stocks. vol II. Selected contributions to the Woods Hole Conference on Living Resources of the Southern Ocean. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, 155 pp
Chapman TE, Mihai D (1972) Influences of sex and egg production on water turnover in chickens. Poult Sci 51:1252–1256
Clark A (1980) The biochemical composition of krill, Euphausia superba (Dana) from South Georgia. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 43:221–236
Crawford RE (1979) Effect of starvation and experimental feeding on the proximate composition and caloric content of an antarctic teleost, Notothenia coriiceps neglecta. Comp Biochem Physiol A 62:321–326
Croxall JP (1982) Energy costs of incubation and moult in petrels and penguins. J Anim Ecol 51:177–194
Croxall JP (1984) Seabird ecology. In: Laws RM (ed) Ecology of the Antarctic. Academic Press, London New York
Croxall JP, Prince PA (1980a) The food of gentoo penguins, Pygoscelis papua, and macaroni penguins, Eudyptes chrysolophus, at South Georgia. Ibis 122:245–253
Croxall JP, Prince PA (1980b) Food, feeding ecology, and ecological segregation of seabirds at South Georgia. Biol J Linn Soc 14:103–131
Croxall JP, Prince PA (1982) A preliminary assessment of the impact of seabirds on marine resources at South Georgia. Com Nat Franc Recherch Antarct 51:501–509
Degen AA, Pinshow B, Alkon PU, Aron H (1981) Tritiated water for estimating total body water and water turnover rate in birds. J Appl Physiol: Resp Environ Exercise Physiol 51:1183–1188
Depocas F, Hart JS, Fisher HD (1971) Sea water drinking and water flux in starved and fed harbor seals, Phoca vitulina. Can J Physiol 49:53–62
Hails CJ, Bryant DM (1979) Reproductive energetics of a free-living bird. J Anim Ecol 48:471–482
King JR (1974) Seasonal allocation of time and energy resources in birds. In: Paynter RA (ed) Avian energetics. Nuttall Ornithological Club, Massachusetts, pp 23–40
Kooyman GL, Davis RW, Croxall JP, Costa DP (1982) Diving depths and energy requirements of king penguins. Science 217:726–727
Lifson N, McClintock R (1966) Theory of use of the turnover rates of body water for measuring energy and material balance. J Theor Biol 12:46–74
Mougin JL, Prevost J (1980) Evolution annuelle des effectifs et des biomasses des oiseaux antarctiques. Rev Ecol (Terre et Vie) 34:101–133
Murrish DE (1973) Respiratory heat and water exchange in penguins. Respir Physiol 19:262–270
Nachtigall W, Bilo D (1980) Stromungsanpassung des Pinguins beim Schwimmen unter Wasser. J Comp Physiol A 137:17–26
Nagy KA (1975) Water and energy budgets of free-living animals: measurement using isotopically labeled water. In: Hadley NF (ed) Environmental physiology of desert organisms. Halsted Press, Pennsylvania, pp 227–245
Nagy KA, Costa DP (1980) Water flux in animals: analysis of potential errors in the tritiated water method. Am J Physiol 238:454–465
Ortiz CL, Costa DP, Le Boeuf BJ (1978) Water and energy flux in elephant seal pups fasting under natural conditions. Physiol Zool 51:166–178
Pilson MEQ (1970) Water balance in California sea lions. Physiol Zool 43:257–268
Richards PA, Tickell WLN (1968) Comparison between the weather at Bird Island and King Edward Point, South Georgia. Br Antarct Surv Bull 15:63–69
Schmidt-Nielsen K, Sladen WJL (1958) Nasal salt secretion in the Humboldt penguin. Nature 181:1217–1218
Schmidt-Nielsen K (1972) Locomotion: energy cost of swimming, flying and running. Science 177:222–228
Schmidt-Nielsen K (1979) Animal physiology: adaptation and environment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge London, p 319
Shoemaker VH, Nagy KA, Costa WR (1976) Energy utilization and temperature regulation by jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) in the Mojave desert. Physiol Zool 49:364–375
Skadhauge E (1981) Osmoregulation in birds. Springer, New York, pp 6–7
Thomas DH, Phillips JA (1975) Studies in avian adrenal steroid function. 2. Chronic adrenalectomy and the turnover of 3H2O in domestic ducks. Gen Comp Endocrinol 26:404–411
Turner MD, Neely WA, Hardy JD (1960) Rapid determination of deuterium oxide in biological fluids. J Appl Physiol 15:309–310
Volkman NH, Presler P, Trivelpiece W (1980) Diets of pygoscelid penguins at King George Island, Antarctica. Condor 82:373–378
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Davis, R.W., Kooyman, G.L. & Croxall, J.P. Water flux and estimated metabolism of free-ranging gentoo and macaroni penguins at South Georgia. Polar Biology 2, 41–46 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00258284
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00258284