Weddell Seal Heat Loss Lab Report

Title
Heat loss in air of an Antarctic marine mammal, the Weddell seal
Jo-Ann Mellish, Allyson Hindle, John Skinner, Markus Horning

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to be able to determine the varying temperatures in the seal’s body surface. The seals range from their body mass as well as their environmental conditions. The variance of surface temperature from the body regions is also a main objective.
Methods
35 Weddell seals ranging from different life history stages were tested (a total of four life history stages). First, biological factors that would impact thermoregulation were collected. Thermal images from the four groups in which the seals were classified in were collected. The depth of the skin as well as the blubber were measured. Image analysis followed. The determination of the

Echocardiography, non-invasive blood pressure measurements, collection and analysis of blood and plasma, tissue analysis, and statistical analysis were all the methods used to perform this experiment. Every experimental group contained saline or isoproterenol and was inserted below the skin and back. Gene expression levels were also measured at 3 and 14 days after the infusion for the cardiomyocyte injury. During the echocardiography, the measurements needed were traced by the levels of the papillary muscles. For the non-invasive blood pressure measurements, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured on the mice’s tail. The collection and analysis of blood and plasma was done by feeding mice and fasting mice for sixteen hours. After the fasting or feeding was done, tests were run for glucoses as well as insulin. The tissue analysis was done examine the change of LV fibrosis. This was done by quantifying the collagen deposition and the area of the myocardia. Lastly, statistical analysis was performed. To do this, several techniques were used to assess the different