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Journal of Experimental Biology 56,657-666 (1972)
Published by Company of Biologists 1972

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Responses of Ducks to Progressive Hypocapnic Hypoxia

DAVID R. JONES ¹ and GEORGE F. HOLETON ²

¹ Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, B.C., Canada
² Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia Vancouver 8, B.C., Canada, Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1. Cardiac ouput, ventilatory minute volume and gaseous exchange at both tissues and lungs have been recorded in restrained unanaesthetized ducks exposed to simulated high altitudes.

2. A comparison between two species of duck showed that despite a significantly lower heart rate in resting Muscovy ducks, cardiac output, on a weight basis, was the same as in White Pekin ducks. Respiratory frequency and tidal volumes differed in the two species although their minute volumes were in the same range.

3. Ducks responded to reduction in oxygen tension of arterial blood (P_a, o₂) by increases in cardiac output and ventilatory minute volume, both being significantly above control (normal P_a, o₂ at rest) when P_a, o₂ was in the range 54.5-63 mmHg. At all levels of hypoxia ducks were able to remove about 30% of the oxygen from the ventilated air.

4. When P_a, o₂ was 38 mmHg the Po₂, difference between arterial and venous blood had decreased by 20.5 mmHg from control. P_a,co₂, and Pvco₂ fell during hypoxia and arterial and venous pH rose.

5. The rate of oxygen uptake (V^· o₂) fell markedly at the lowest level of hypoxia but V^· co₂, remained constant so that R.Q. rose from 0.76 at control at 1.12 at P_a, o₂ of 38 mmHg.

6. It is concluded that there are many basic similarities between the cardiovascular and respiratory responses of ducks and mammals when exposed to simulated high altitude.

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