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Quadrupedal locomotor performance in two species of arboreal squirrels: predicting energy savings of gliding

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Abstract

Gliding allows mammals to exploit canopy habitats of old-growth forests possibly as a means to save energy. To assess costs of quadrupedal locomotion for a gliding arboreal mammal, we used open-flow respirometry and a variable-speed treadmill to measure oxygen consumption and to calculate cost of transport, excess exercise oxygen consumption, and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption for nine northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) and four fox squirrels (Sciurus niger). Our results indicate that oxygen consumption during exercise by flying squirrels was 1.26–1.65 times higher than predicted based on body mass, and exponentially increased with velocity (from 0.84 ± 0.03 ml O2 kg−1 s−1 at 0.40 m s−1 to 1.55 ± 0.03 ml O2 kg−1 s−1 at 0.67 m s−1). Also, cost of transport in flying squirrels increased with velocity, although excess exercise oxygen consumption and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption did not. In contrast, oxygen consumption during exercise for fox squirrels was similar to predicted, varying from 0.51 (±0.02) ml O2 kg−1 s−1 at 0.63 m s−1 to 0.54 (±0.03) ml O2 kg−1 s−1 at 1.25 m s−1. In addition, the cost of transport for fox squirrels decreased with velocity, while excess exercise oxygen consumption and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption did not. Collectively, these observations suggest that unlike fox squirrels, flying squirrels are poorly adapted to prolonged bouts of quadrupedal locomotion. The evolution of skeletal adaptations to climbing, leaping, and landing and the development of a gliding membrane likely has increased the cost of quadrupedal locomotion by >50% while resulting in energy savings during gliding and reduction in travel time between foraging patches.

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Abbreviations

COT:

Cost of transport

EEOC:

Excess exercise oxygen consumption

EPOC:

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption

M b :

Body mass

RMR:

Resting metabolic rate

v g :

Speed

\( \dot{V}_{{O_{2} }} \) :

Rate of oxygen consumption

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank R. Carroll for his assistance caring for the captive squirrels. Sable Systems, Inc. answered many questions and provided assistance with our respirometry equipment. Drs. H. J. Harlow, C. Martinez del Rio, and T. M. Williams provided helpful insights in the early planning stages of this project. We thank S. W. Buskirk, R. L. Essner, Jr., G. Hayward, S. Miller, T. M. Williams and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript. Funding for this work was provided by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Forest Service, and the University of Wyoming.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Physiology, Dept. 3166, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

    Elizabeth A. Flaherty & Merav Ben-David

  2. Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

    Merav Ben-David

  3. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3625 93rd Avenue, SW, Olympia, WA, 98512, USA

    Winston P. Smith

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  1. Elizabeth A. Flaherty
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  2. Merav Ben-David
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  3. Winston P. Smith
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Correspondence to Elizabeth A. Flaherty.

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Communicated by I.D. Hume.

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Flaherty, E.A., Ben-David, M. & Smith, W.P. Quadrupedal locomotor performance in two species of arboreal squirrels: predicting energy savings of gliding. J Comp Physiol B 180, 1067–1078 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-010-0470-1

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