The rates at which birds use energy may have profound effects on fitness, thereby influencing physiology, behavior, ecology and evolution. Comparisons of standardized metabolic rates （e.g., lower and upper limits of ...The rates at which birds use energy may have profound effects on fitness, thereby influencing physiology, behavior, ecology and evolution. Comparisons of standardized metabolic rates （e.g., lower and upper limits of metabolic power output） present a method for elucidating the effects of ecological and evolutionary factors on the interface between physiology and life history in birds. In this paper we review variation in avian metabolic rates [basal metabolic rate （BMR; minimum normothermic metabolic rate）, summit metabolic rate （Msum; maximal thermoregulatory metabolic rate）, and maximal metabolic rate （MMR; maximal exercise metabolic rate）], the factors associated with this variation, the evidence for functional links between these metabolic traits, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of avian metabolic diversity. Both lower and upper limits to metabolic power production are phenotypically flexible traits, and vary in association with numerous ecological and evolutionary factors. For both inter- and intraspecific comparisons, lower and upper limits to metabolic power production are generally upregulated in response to energetically demanding conditions and downregulated when energetic demands are relaxed, or under conditions of energetic scarcity. Positive correlations have been documented between BMR, Msum and MMR in some, but not all studies on birds, providing partial support for the idea of a functional link between lower and upper limits to metabolic power production, but more intraspecific studies are needed to determine the robustness of this conclusion. Correlations between BMR and field metabolic rate （or daily energy expenditure） in birds are variable, suggesting that the linkage between these traits is subject to behavioral adjustment, and studies of the relationship between field and maximal metabolic rates are lacking. Our understanding of avian metabolic diversity would benefit from future studies of： （1） the functional and mechanistic links between lower and upper limits of metabolic power output; （2） the environmental and ecological cues driving phenotypically flexible metabolic responses, and how responses to such cues might impact population responses to climate change; （3） the shapes of metabolic reaction norms and their association with environmental variability; and （4） the relationship of metabolic variation to fitness, including studies of repeatability and heritability of minimum and maximum metabolic power output [Current Zoology 56 （6）： 741-758, 2010].展开更多
The building sector has a significant weight in the global energy consumption in almost of the countries. So, there is a high potential for increasing its energy efficiency. With the enforcement of the energetic certi...The building sector has a significant weight in the global energy consumption in almost of the countries. So, there is a high potential for increasing its energy efficiency. With the enforcement of the energetic certification, it was tried to select different solutions that presents less energy consumption and waste, as well as an effective reduction of CO2 emissions. This work fits in this perspective, since the main goal is to evaluate the contribution of passive and active solutions that can be used in buildings for the improvement of its energetic efficiency, as well as to evaluate the contribution of renewable energy sources. Contribution of solar systems for hot water heating and electric energy production has been studied, as well as cogeneration, Combined Heat and Power （CHP）. The case studied is a hotel. To improve the building performance, there were proposed several changes, with the goal of evaluating the contribution of the different solutions proposed. It was concluded that they contribute to a reduction of thermal needs of 25.2% and avoided emissions of CO2 is 30.4%. The analysis of the implementation of trigeneration, Combined Heat, Cooling and Power （CHCP） turns it executable. The payback period is less than 8 years.展开更多
文摘The rates at which birds use energy may have profound effects on fitness, thereby influencing physiology, behavior, ecology and evolution. Comparisons of standardized metabolic rates （e.g., lower and upper limits of metabolic power output） present a method for elucidating the effects of ecological and evolutionary factors on the interface between physiology and life history in birds. In this paper we review variation in avian metabolic rates [basal metabolic rate （BMR; minimum normothermic metabolic rate）, summit metabolic rate （Msum; maximal thermoregulatory metabolic rate）, and maximal metabolic rate （MMR; maximal exercise metabolic rate）], the factors associated with this variation, the evidence for functional links between these metabolic traits, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of avian metabolic diversity. Both lower and upper limits to metabolic power production are phenotypically flexible traits, and vary in association with numerous ecological and evolutionary factors. For both inter- and intraspecific comparisons, lower and upper limits to metabolic power production are generally upregulated in response to energetically demanding conditions and downregulated when energetic demands are relaxed, or under conditions of energetic scarcity. Positive correlations have been documented between BMR, Msum and MMR in some, but not all studies on birds, providing partial support for the idea of a functional link between lower and upper limits to metabolic power production, but more intraspecific studies are needed to determine the robustness of this conclusion. Correlations between BMR and field metabolic rate （or daily energy expenditure） in birds are variable, suggesting that the linkage between these traits is subject to behavioral adjustment, and studies of the relationship between field and maximal metabolic rates are lacking. Our understanding of avian metabolic diversity would benefit from future studies of： （1） the functional and mechanistic links between lower and upper limits of metabolic power output; （2） the environmental and ecological cues driving phenotypically flexible metabolic responses, and how responses to such cues might impact population responses to climate change; （3） the shapes of metabolic reaction norms and their association with environmental variability; and （4） the relationship of metabolic variation to fitness, including studies of repeatability and heritability of minimum and maximum metabolic power output [Current Zoology 56 （6）： 741-758, 2010].
文摘The building sector has a significant weight in the global energy consumption in almost of the countries. So, there is a high potential for increasing its energy efficiency. With the enforcement of the energetic certification, it was tried to select different solutions that presents less energy consumption and waste, as well as an effective reduction of CO2 emissions. This work fits in this perspective, since the main goal is to evaluate the contribution of passive and active solutions that can be used in buildings for the improvement of its energetic efficiency, as well as to evaluate the contribution of renewable energy sources. Contribution of solar systems for hot water heating and electric energy production has been studied, as well as cogeneration, Combined Heat and Power （CHP）. The case studied is a hotel. To improve the building performance, there were proposed several changes, with the goal of evaluating the contribution of the different solutions proposed. It was concluded that they contribute to a reduction of thermal needs of 25.2% and avoided emissions of CO2 is 30.4%. The analysis of the implementation of trigeneration, Combined Heat, Cooling and Power （CHCP） turns it executable. The payback period is less than 8 years.
