Color-Independent Adjustment of Solar Heat Gain in Animals

动物太阳热增益的颜色独立调节

• 批准号: 9107470
• 负责人: Glenn Walsberg
• 金额: $ 24.64万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1991
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1991-09-01 至 1997-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9107470&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Color; Independent; Adjustment; Solar; Heat

Sunlight significantly affects the heat or cold stress experienced by animals in nature. Historically, biologists expected that heat gain from solar radiation was largely determined by an animal's surface coloration (e.g., darker surfaces acquire greater heat loads). Dr. Walsberg has demonstrated that mammals and birds can alter heat gain independently of animal coloration. The current project extends these previous analyses by quantifying the significance of such adjustments for heat balance and energy expenditure of animals in their natural habitats. Three species will be studied: (1) Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels in which different populations differ greatly in coloration but manage to maintain constant solar heat loads, (2) a contrasting case in which populations of House Finches remain similar in coloration across wide geographic distances yet adaptively alter solar heat gain, and (3) the Rock Squirrel which maintains the same appearance over the annual cycle yet substantially increases solar heat gain during cold winter months. This research should improve understanding of the diverse functions performed by the insulating coats of animals. This work will contribute substantially to understanding of the thermal stresses imposed upon birds and mammals in nature as well as the selection pressures affecting solar heat gain, thermal insulation, and visual communication. These studies have potential practical implications because thermal and energetic stresses are important problems in livestock production and because human clothing essentially is an artificial substitute for the fur or feather coats of mammals and birds. Understanding the mechanisms produced by natural selection in wild animals and which adaptively adjust solar heat gain may provide useful insights into properties that would be advantageous from an applied perspective.

光照显著影响热或冷胁迫 自然界中的动物所经历的。 历史上，生物学家 预计来自太阳辐射的热量主要来自 由动物的表面颜色确定（例如，暗 表面获得更大的热负荷）。 Walsberg博士 表明哺乳动物和鸟类可以改变热量的增加 与动物的颜色无关。 当前项目延伸 这些先前的分析通过量化这种重要性， 调节动物的热平衡和能量消耗， 他们的自然栖息地。 本文将研究三个物种：（1） 不同种群的金背地松鼠 颜色差异很大，但设法保持恒定 太阳热负荷，（2）一个对比的情况下，人口的 在广泛的地理分布中，家雀的颜色保持相似 距离，但适应性地改变太阳能热增益，（3）岩石 一年四季都保持相同外貌的松鼠 循环还大大增加了太阳能热增益在寒冷 冬季的几个月。 这项研究应该提高对不同的 动物的绝缘外套所起的作用。 这 工作将大大有助于了解 自然界中的鸟类和哺乳动物也会受到热应力的影响 由于选择压力影响太阳得热， 绝缘和视觉传达。 这些研究具有潜在的实际意义，因为 热应力和能量应力是 畜牧业生产，因为人类的衣服基本上是一个 哺乳动物毛皮或羽毛的人造替代物， 鸟 了解自然产生的机制 在野生动物中的选择，并适应性地调整太阳能热 增益可以提供有用的见解属性， 从应用的角度来看是有利的。