Diving physiology of birds: a history of studies on polar species

Our knowledge of avian diving physiology has been based primarily on resear ch with polar species. Since Scholander's 1940 monograph, research has expa nded from examination of the 'diving reflex' to studies of free-diving bird s, and has included laboratory investigations of oxygen stores, muscle adap tations, pressure effects, and cardiovascular/metabolic responses to swimmi ng exercise. Behavioral and energetic studies at sea have shown that common diving durations of many avian species exceed the calculated aerobic divin g limits (ADL). Current physiological research is focused on factors, such as heart rate and temperature, which potentially affect the diving metaboli c rate and duration of aerobic diving. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All r ights reserved.