Physiological control of diving behaviour in Otariid seals

在海上觅食时，潜水脊椎动物（如海洋哺乳动物）的行为特征是长时间的水下时间与短的表面间隔。从根本上说，海洋哺乳动物潜水生理学的整个研究都集中在什么力量决定了这两个行为事件的时间。我的研究探讨了生理机制和觅食要求如何相互作用，以制定觅食行为的海洋哺乳动物。具体来说，我的研究集中在潜水生理学和能量的“模型”otariid，Steller海狮（Eumetopias jubatus）。我们独特的实验装置使用训练有素的海狮游泳，潜水，并在开阔海域的人工猎物场觅食。除了允许在一系列自然潜水行为期间进行详细的生理测量外，它还允许我们操纵觅食条件，以更准确地了解环境与个体动物之间的相互作用。我们在此提出三个具体的，相互关联的研究课程进行。 第一个研究领域是潜水行为的生理控制。具体来说，我们将调查的相对作用，氧气补充和二氧化碳卸载作为近端控制的潜水时间，通过通风控制和随后的潜水表面间隔的长度。我们还将测试心血管反应是否与运动需求或内部氧平衡无关。研究的第二个领域是调查整体能量预算和潜水生理之间的相互作用。具体来说，我们将量化季节性和营养相关的能量预算变化对潜水行为和生理的影响。研究的第三个领域调查猎物动力学对潜水行为和能量学的影响。我们将开发和测试的基础上的生理约束和觅食要求之间的相互作用的潜水行为模型。总之，这些研究将有助于我们了解海洋哺乳动物的觅食生理和生态。

When foraging at sea, the behaviour of diving vertebrates such as marine mammals is characterized by long underwater times interspersed with short surface intervals. At its root, the entire study of marine mammal diving physiology has centered on what forces determine the timing of these two behavioural events. My research explores how physiological mechanisms and foraging requirements interact to formulate foraging behaviour in marine mammals. Specifically, my research has focused on the diving physiology and energetics of a 'model' otariid, the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus). Our unique experimental setup uses trained sea lions swimming, diving, and foraging on artificial prey fields in the open ocean. In addition to permitting detailed physiological measurements during a range of natural diving behaviours, it also allows us to manipulate foraging conditions to more accurately understand the interaction between the environment and the individual animal. We hereby propose three specific, interconnected courses of research to be undertaken. The first area of study is the physiological control of diving behaviour. Specifically, we will investigate the relative roles of oxygen replenishment and carbon dioxide off-loading as proximate controls for submergence time via ventilation control and the length of the subsequent inter-dive surface interval. We will also test whether cardiovascular responses are uncoupled from locomotory demands or internal oxygen balance. The second area of research investigates the interaction between overall energy budgets and diving physiology. Specifically, we will quantify the effect of seasonal and nutrition-related changes in energy budgets on dive behaviour and physiology. The third area of research investigates the effects of prey dynamics on dive behaviour and energetics. We will develop and test a model of dive behaviour based on the interaction between physiological constraints and foraging requirements. Together, these studies will contribute to our understanding of foraging physiology and ecology in marine mammals.