Body mass and dive duration in alcids and penguins

Abstract

Interspecific allometric equations for dive duration were calculated for two groups of wing-propelled divers: penguins, which specializing in diving, and alcids, which balance demands for aerial flying with those of diving. The equations for maximum dive duration (min) were 1.433M0.702and 3.612M0.735(where M is body mass in kilograms) for penguins (10 species) and alcids (9 species), respectively, hence did not support a simple oxygen store/usage hypothesis based on the prediction that the mass exponent of aerobic dive limit is close to 0.25. Equations for feeding dives were 0.569M0.712and 1.094M0.391in penguins (9 species) and alcids (10 species), respectively. The allometric exponent for the duration of feeding dives for penguins did not match the predicted value of 0.25, but that for alcids did not differ significantly from this value. Alcids exhibited a maximum dive duration 2.5 times longer than that for penguins after mass effects were controlled for. The size of oxygen stores and metabolic rates based on laboratory studies of penguins and alcids failed to explain the longer dive duration in alcids than in penguins.