Evaporative Water Loss in Desert Rodents in Their Natural Habitat

摘要: In a previous paper (Schmidt-Nielsen, '48a) it was reported that desert rodents of the family Heteromyidae can live enentirely without drinking water. The two main paths water expenditure in these animals are urine formation and evaporation from lungs. These losses covered by content food, which is very low, formed metabolism. It previously conserve excreting an extremely concentrated urine, twice as sea (SchmidtNielsen, '48b) with respect to electrolytes. other important loss, lungs, depends upon ventilation lungs greatly affected humidity inspired air. higher air, less expended bring expired air saturation. Since critical factor balance heteromyids, ecological investigation their habitat needed order furnish information microclimatic factors within outside burrows. This study made specifically obtain necessary background for evaluating physiological relations between environment, not intended comprehensive survey habitat.