Exercise training enhances aerobic capacity in juvenile estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus)

详细信息	查看全文 | 推荐本文 |

• 作者：Tomasz Owerkowicz ; Russell V. Baudinette
• 关键词：Aerobic capacity ; Archosaur ; Constraint ; Crocodylus porosus ; Endurance ; Exercise ; Oxygen consumption ; Locomotor constraint ; Training ; Treadmill
• 刊名：Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A ; Molecular & Integrative Physiology
• 出版年：2008
• 期刊代码：23_10956433
• 类别：abs
• 出版时间：June 2008
• 卷：150
• 期：2
• 页码：211-216
• 文件大小：372 K

摘要

Aerobic capacity (VO₂max) of endothermic vertebrates is known to increase with exercise training, but this effect has not been found to-date in non-avian reptiles. We exercised juvenile estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) to walk at 0.75–0.88 km/h on a treadmill for up to 20 min a day over 16 weeks, and compared their aerobic performance with that of unexercised crocodiles. In the exercised group, VO₂max increased from 6.9 to 8.5 mLO₂/kg/min (+ 28%), and locomotor endurance increased from 3.8 to 6.9 min (+ 82%). Neither VO₂max nor endurance changed significantly in the sedentary group. This finding extends the exercise training effect onto another vertebrate clade, and demonstrates that ectothermic amniotes are capable of elevating their aerobic capacity in response to exercise training. We propose that differences in cardiopulmonary structure and function in non-avian reptiles may be responsible for the absence (in squamates) or presence (in crocodilians) of a strong training effect on aerobic capacity.