Stumble!
Sign in for recommendations. New member? Start here

Joined on Mar 6, 2005 Nutmeg I like them

Last login: 23 hours agoRachel is a 43 year old woman in a relationship from Lincolnshire, England, UK.
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." - Douglas Adams;


[Last.fm] [43Things][Flickr][folia]

1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 25 30
Gazelles shrink liver and heart to reduce oxygen consumption during drought...
Jun 8, 2006 12:25pm    (3 reviews)  physiology, gazelles, adaptation-to-desert  http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2...


Gazelles shrink liver and heart during drought


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


"How do gazelles and other large desert mammals adjust their physiology to survive when food and water are in short supply?"

A fascinating new study reveals that sand gazelles in the deserts of Saudi Arabia have evolved the ability to shrink oxygen-demanding organs such as the liver and heart, allowing them to breathe less. Fewer breaths reduce the amount of water lost to respiratory evaporation during prolonged periods of drought -- important because there are few sources of drinking water, so vegetation must be relied upon for both food and water requirements.


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Images: Stéphane Ostrowski