Features of regulation of pulmonary respiration in aquatic animals

The animals are morphological adaptations: a sharp increase in the chest, particularly powerful respiratory muscles, greater mobility of the chest, open up the nostrils (whales, dolphins). Dolphins 3 times the alveoli than in humans. In cetaceans in the small bronchi have muscle zhomy, long retaining the air. Physiological adaptations in aquatic animals following. Firstly, the increased ability of the blood to bind oxygen by increasing the content of hemoglobin in red blood cells and increased the ability of hemoglobin to bind oxygen – such as dolphins 1.5. They have many times more myoglobin, which unlike hemoglobin oxygen deposits and sends it when necessary: ​​for example, a seal and muscle myoglobin content of 20-40% of the dry residue of muscle tissue. Second, not only when diving breathing stops, but also dramatically reduced the heart rate and vasoconstriction occurs whole body except for supplying blood to the nervous system, such as in seals.

All pinnipeds there is a special sphincter of striated muscle tissue located around the vena cava above the diaphragm. When diving it compresses the vena cava and stops blood flow throughout the body except the head. This leads to a high resistance to high content of carbon dioxide in the blood and keeps it at the same level of oxygen supply. In diving birds also dramatically slowed heartbeat, they rhythmically move underwater limbs and wings, which causes mixing of air in air bags. As a result, the whales can stay underwater for up to 105, up to 15 dolphins and ducks to 23 minutes.


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Features of regulation of pulmonary respiration in aquatic animals