Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Mammals

Taylor, Charles R.; Jones, James H.

doi:10.1159/000413965

Cited by 2 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Taylor and co-workers (l0, 14,57,71,75,92,98,99,101) have measured YOzmax in a number of mammalian species using a modification of Margaria's treadmill technique (78,92). The relationship between V02max and body mass for 37 species of mammals is shown in Figure 3 (top).…”

Section: Body Size and Aerobic Capacitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Limits to Maximal Performance

Jones

Lindstedt

1993

Annu. Rev. Physiol.

122

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Body size fundamentally affects maximal locomotor performance in mammals. Comparisons of performances of different-sized animals yield different results if made using relative, rather than absolute scales. Absolute speed may be a reasonable way to evaluate the locomotor performance of an animal that must escape predators in real time. However, comparisons of metabolic power in animals of different size can only be made meaningfully on a mass-specific basis. Numerous factors associated with the mechanics, energetics, and storage of elastic energy during locomotion change with body size, which results in allometric relationships that make the energetic cost of locomotion (alpha Mb-0.3) more expensive for small mammals than for large mammals. Small mammals have lower enzymatic capacities for anaerobic glycolysis (alpha Mb0.15) and higher specific aerobic capacities (alpha Mb-0.13) than large mammals. However, the energetic cost of transport increases more than aerobic power as mammals get smaller. The higher ratio of cost to available power in small mammals may explain why they run more slowly than large mammals, as a rule. Maximum aerobic capacity is allometrically related to body size. Limits to VO2max can be imposed by mitochondrial oxidative capacity, as in goats, or by the O2 transport system, as in humans and horses. No single step in the O2 transport system can limit the flux of O2 by itself; however, in an average non-athletic species of mammal, any of the steps in the system might appear to be the weakest link. In highly aerobic athletic species, and possibly elite athletic individuals of other species (e.g. humans), the malleable elements of the O2 transport system may develop to the point that their O2 transport capacities approach that of the least malleable element in the system, the lung. VO2max is very high in such individuals, and appears to be limited by simultaneous failure of all components of the O2 transport system.

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Section: Body Size and Aerobic Capacitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Limits to Maximal Performance

Jones

Lindstedt

1993

Annu. Rev. Physiol.

122

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For some variables, direct comparison of their absolute values may be appropriate; for other variables, the effects of differences in body size must be taken into account by expressing the variables in relative, usually specific, terms (i.e., mass specific, with the value divided by body mass, such as ml/kg; Royal Society, 1975). Attempts to make meaningful comparisons among respiratory variables are further complicated by the fact that many respiratory functions, including the fundamental determinant of gas exchange, the whole body rate of oxygen consumptionð _ VO 2 Þ, 1 vary in a regular manner with body size both at rest (Kleiber, 1932;Brody et al, 1934;SchmidteNielsen, 1984) and at maximal rates of oxygen consumption ð _ VO 2 maxÞ Taylor and Jones, 1987;Taylor et al, 1988). These allometric variations in physiological function are typically described by a simple power function of the form…”

Section: Absolute Versus Allometric Comparisons In Physiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, the most comprehensive data set collected to compare maximum rates of O 2 consumption in mammals has been accumulated by Taylor and collaborators (Taylor et al, , 1987a(Taylor et al, , 1988Weibel et al, 1983;Hoppeler et al, 1984;Conley et al, 1985;Taylor and Jones, 1987;Jones et al, 1989a;Longworth et al, 1989). These data are summarized in Table 2 and allometric equations derived from them are in Table 3.…”

Section: A Plateau In _mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a study on dogs, Scotto et al (1987) measured a physiologic D L O 2 of 0.06 ml [STPD] O 2 /(s torr kg)), less than one-half that measured morphometrically (0.12 ml [STPD] O 2 /(s torr kg)) by Weibel et al (1987). However, Scotto's dogs were running at speeds less than 40% of those used by Taylor et al (1987) to elicit _ VO 2 max on a similar incline. Similarly, the cardiac outputs of Scotto's dogs were 5 ml/(s kg), less than 40% of those measured in Taylor and Weibel's dogs (14.4 ml/(s kg)).…”

Section: Changes In D L With Exercise: Morphometricmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Taylor, Weibel, and co-workers Taylor et al, 1987) compared the relationships of D L O 2 and _ VO 2 max to M (Tables 3 and 10), and, in turn, the relationship between D L O 2 and _ VO 2 max as M changes. They felt that comparison of D L O 2 to _ VO 2 max, rather than standard (basal) _ VO 2 was most appropriate because _ VO 2 max represents the functional limit for which the structural components of the pulmonary gas exchanger are presumably designed .…”

Section: Changes In D L With Body Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

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