Cardiorespiratory physiology of the Red Junglefowl, Gallus gallus (Galliformes: Phasianidae), during periods of higher metabolic demand

• Grant number: 24/02773-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: August 16, 2024
• End date: February 15, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Compared Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Wilfried Klein
• Grantee: Ray Brasil Bueno de Souza
• Supervisor: Jordi Altimiras
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Linköping University (LiU), Sweden
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/11389-2 - Cardiorespiratory physiology and morphology of Tinamidae (Aves: Palaeognathae), BP.DD

Abstract

In order to maintain the high metabolic demands of endothermy and flying, birds possess a series of physiological adaptations mostly related to the cardiorespiratory system, which has a great capacity to use and circulate inspired oxygen, while the size of the heart appears as one of the main restrictions for long-term activities. Among the Palaeognathae birds, the Tinamidae are the only ones able to fly, even though they have relatively the smallest heart among all living birds, and their small heart and limited capabilities for sustained flight have been proposed as the ancestral condition of all the birds. Among Neognathae birds, the chicken (Galliformes: Phasianidae) are the ones that resembles the most the Tinamidae lifestyle and flying capacity, with the Red Junglefowl being the ideal lineage for comparative studies of avian cardiorespiratory physiology since it is the ancestor of domesticated chicken breeds and has not been subjected to artificial selection. Through evaluation of the metabolism under rest and with the animal exposed to scenarios of higher metabolic demand, such as cold exposure and running on a treadmill, and quantification of cardiovascular variables in anesthetized animals, this project aims to analyze the cardiorespiratory physiology of the Red Junglefowl, seeking to contribute to the beneficiary's ability to perform experimental procedures for collecting cardiac physiological variables from birds.