Cutaneous and Respiratory Water Loss in Larks from Arid and Mesic Environments

Abstract

Birds from deserts generally have lower total evaporative water loss (TEWL), the sum of cutaneous (CWL) and respiratory water loss (RWL), than species from mesic areas. We investigated the role of CWL and RWL as a function of air temperature (T(a)) in hoopoe larks (Alaemon alaudipes) and Dunn's larks (Eremalauda dunni) from the Arabian Desert and skylarks (Alauda arvensis) and woodlarks (Lullula arborea) from temperate mesic grasslands. The proportional contribution of CWL to TEWL in all larks at moderate T(a) ranged from 50% to 70%. At high T(a) (40 degrees -45 degrees C), larks enhanced CWL by only 45%-78% and relied on an increase in RWL by 676%-2,733% for evaporative cooling. Surface-specific CWL at 25 degrees C was 29% lower in the arid-zone species than in the mesic larks. When acclimated to constant T(a), 15 degrees C-acclimated hoopoe larks increased CWL by 22% compared with 35 degrees C-acclimated birds, but the other species did not change CWL. This study is consistent with the hypothesis that larks from deserts have a reduced CWL at moderate and low T(a) but provided no support for the hypothesis that at high T(a) larks from arid regions rely more on CWL than larks from mesic environments. Interspecific differences in CWL cannot be attributed to acclimation to environmental temperature and are possibly the result of genetic differences due to natural selection or of phenotypically plastic responses to divergent environments during ontogeny.

Presence and persistence of a highly ordered lipid phase state in the avian stratum corneum

“…Instead, only a small subset of lipids transition from the orthorhombic to the hexagonal phase (Boncheva et al, 2008). These data coincide with the observation that, as skin temperature increases in birds, the prevalence of gauche defects in lipid chains increases slightly, likely causing a small increase in CWL (Tieleman and Williams, 2002;Champagne et al, 2016).…”

Presence and persistence of a highly ordered lipid phase state in the avian stratum corneum

“…Instead, only a small subset of lipids transition from the orthorhombic to the hexagonal phase (Boncheva et al, 2008). These data coincide with the observation that, as skin temperature increases in birds, the prevalence of gauche defects in lipid chains increases slightly, likely causing a small increase in CWL (Tieleman and Williams, 2002;Champagne et al, 2016).…”

Partitioning of evaporative water loss in white-winged doves: plasticity in response to short-term thermal acclimation

“…In the latter study, CEWL represented 70-80% of TEWL at all Ta values between 0°C and 40°C (Withers and Williams, 1990). Our data, together with recent data on TEWL partitioning in mourning doves (Hoffman and Walsberg, 1999) and four species of larks (Tieleman and Williams, 2002), support the view that avian patterns of TEWL partitioning exhibit considerable taxonomic variation (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996). Differences in the relative importance of CEWL appear to be particularly pronounced between Columbiformes and Passeriformes (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996).…”

“…15% at Ta=50°C (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996). Tieleman and Williams (2002) observed similar decreases in the relative contribution of CEWL with increasing Ta in four species of larks (Passeriformes: Alaudidae).…”

Phenotypic Flexibility in Cutaneous Water Loss and Lipids of the Stratum Corneum in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) following Acclimation to High and Low Humidity

“…IB). Because we found no differences in oxygen consumption, apparently oxygen extraction efficiency changed, a phenomenon also observed in four species of larks acclimated to different r,'s (Tieleman and Williams 2002).…”

Presence and persistence of a highly ordered lipid phase state in the avian stratum corneum

“…Instead, only a small subset of lipids transition from the orthorhombic to the hexagonal phase (Boncheva et al, 2008). These data coincide with the observation that, as skin temperature increases in birds, the prevalence of gauche defects in lipid chains increases slightly, likely causing a small increase in CWL (Tieleman and Williams, 2002;Champagne et al, 2016).…”

Partitioning of evaporative water loss in white-winged doves: plasticity in response to short-term thermal acclimation

“…In the latter study, CEWL represented 70-80% of TEWL at all Ta values between 0°C and 40°C (Withers and Williams, 1990). Our data, together with recent data on TEWL partitioning in mourning doves (Hoffman and Walsberg, 1999) and four species of larks (Tieleman and Williams, 2002), support the view that avian patterns of TEWL partitioning exhibit considerable taxonomic variation (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996). Differences in the relative importance of CEWL appear to be particularly pronounced between Columbiformes and Passeriformes (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996).…”

“…15% at Ta=50°C (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996). Tieleman and Williams (2002) observed similar decreases in the relative contribution of CEWL with increasing Ta in four species of larks (Passeriformes: Alaudidae).…”

Phenotypic Flexibility in Cutaneous Water Loss and Lipids of the Stratum Corneum in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) following Acclimation to High and Low Humidity

“…IB). Because we found no differences in oxygen consumption, apparently oxygen extraction efficiency changed, a phenomenon also observed in four species of larks acclimated to different r,'s (Tieleman and Williams 2002).…”

Presence and persistence of a highly ordered lipid phase state in the avian stratum corneum

“…Instead, only a small subset of lipids transition from the orthorhombic to the hexagonal phase (Boncheva et al, 2008). These data coincide with the observation that, as skin temperature increases in birds, the prevalence of gauche defects in lipid chains increases slightly, likely causing a small increase in CWL (Tieleman and Williams, 2002;Champagne et al, 2016).…”

Partitioning of evaporative water loss in white-winged doves: plasticity in response to short-term thermal acclimation

“…In the latter study, CEWL represented 70-80% of TEWL at all Ta values between 0°C and 40°C (Withers and Williams, 1990). Our data, together with recent data on TEWL partitioning in mourning doves (Hoffman and Walsberg, 1999) and four species of larks (Tieleman and Williams, 2002), support the view that avian patterns of TEWL partitioning exhibit considerable taxonomic variation (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996). Differences in the relative importance of CEWL appear to be particularly pronounced between Columbiformes and Passeriformes (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996).…”

“…15% at Ta=50°C (Wolf and Walsberg, 1996). Tieleman and Williams (2002) observed similar decreases in the relative contribution of CEWL with increasing Ta in four species of larks (Passeriformes: Alaudidae).…”

Phenotypic Flexibility in Cutaneous Water Loss and Lipids of the Stratum Corneum in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) following Acclimation to High and Low Humidity

“…IB). Because we found no differences in oxygen consumption, apparently oxygen extraction efficiency changed, a phenomenon also observed in four species of larks acclimated to different r,'s (Tieleman and Williams 2002).…”