Gp. Burness et al., INTERINDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY IN BODY-COMPOSITION AND RESTING OXYGEN-CONSUMPTION RATE IN BREEDING TREE SWALLOWS, TACHYCINETA BICOLOR, Physiological zoology, 71(3), 1998, pp. 247-256
Basal metabolic rate is one of the most widely measured physiological
traits. Previous studies on lab mice and field-caught lizards suggest
that individuals with relatively high basal metabolic rates or standar
d metabolic rates have relatively large masses of metabolically active
tissues (e.g., heart, kidney, liver). As these are energetically expe
nsive organs, there may be variability between breeding seasons depend
ent on, for example, availability of prey and capacity for energy inta
ke. We present data from breeding tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor)
collected over two successive seasons. There was no difference between
years in resting oxygen consumption rates, although there were signif
icant interannual differences in the masses of all organs and tissues
except the pectoralis. Interindividual differences in the masses of th
e kidney and small intestine explained 21% of the variation in oxygen
consumption rates. Although individuals with relatively high resting o
xygen consumption rates had relatively large, metabolically active kid
neys, they had relatively small intestines and pectoral muscles. This
is in contrast to all previous studies on mammals and to the single in
terspecific study of birds. Oxygen consumption rate also correlated po
sitively with hematocrit. Our results suggest that assumptions of cons
istent positive relationships between resting oxygen consumption rate
and organ masses cannot be extended intraspecifically for birds.