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Energetics and foraging behaviour of the European seed harvesting ant Messor capitatus : I. Respiratory metabolism and energy consumption of unloaded and loaded workers during locomotion
Author(s) -
NIELSEN MOGENS GISSEL,
BARONIURBANI CESARE
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1990.tb00533.x
Subject(s) - biology , respiratory quotient , energetics , energy metabolism , zoology , basal metabolic rate , respiratory system , respiratory rate , foraging , metabolism , dry weight , respiration , botany , ecology , anatomy , biochemistry , endocrinology , heart rate , blood pressure
The respiratory metabolism of workers of Messor capitatus (Latreille) was measured using standard micro‐Warburg techniques on single individuals. The experiments were carried out at 10, 20, 25, 30 and 40 o C, and the respiratory quotient (RQ), measured for the same individuals at 30 o C, was found to be 0.77. The specific respiratory rate (y , in μl O 2 /mg dry weight/h) could be described by the following equation: Iny = ‐2.24 + 0.098r ‐0.258 In W; where T is temperature and W is the dry weight in mg. The Q 10 for M. capitatus in the temperature interval 20–30 o C was 3.4, a higher value than for other ants. The energy costs of movement and carrying were determined by using the RQ to convert the continuous measurement of CO 2 produced at 30 o C by Enfiuran anaesthetized workers (‘resting metabolism’), by running workers and by workers loaded with a 20 mg weight to units of energy. The resting metabolism was 10.0±1.0 mJ/mg fresh weight/h. The cost of running ( Y in joule per km) could be described by: Y = 3.865 + 0.363 Wf , where Wf is fresh weight in mg. The cost of transport for all experiments could be expressed as 0.64 × the cost of running.