Publications by authors named "Emma M Rhodes"
Article Synopsis
- Migratory birds like the Gambel's white-crowned sparrow rely heavily on mitochondria for energy during their intense migration periods, which is energetically demanding.
- In a study comparing Gambel's sparrows with non-migratory Nuttall's sparrows, it was found that the migratory birds showed significantly more mitochondrial remodelling in their muscles across different stages of migration.
- The research indicates that this remodelling is particularly evident in the pectoralis muscle, which is crucial for flight, demonstrating an adaptive response that helps migratory birds meet their increased energy requirements.
Birds exhibit a variety of migration strategies. Because sustained flapping flight requires the production of elevated levels of energy compared to typical daily activities, migratory birds are well-documented to have several physiological adaptations to support the energy demands of migration. However, even though mitochondria are the source of ATP that powers flight, the respiratory performance of the mitochondria is almost unstudied in the context of migration.
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- - Migration requires a lot of energy for birds, primarily sourced from mitochondria, but how these organelles support migration has been little studied.
- - Researchers focused on the White-crowned Sparrow's two subspecies, comparing the high-migratory Gambel's with the non-migratory Nuttall's subspecies to assess their mitochondrial respiratory performance.
- - Findings revealed Gambel's subspecies had significantly higher mitochondrial capacity and flexibility during migration, suggesting that changes in mitochondrial respiration are crucial for energy needs during long-distance migration.