Two of the most significant threats to survival that animals face come from variation in the food supply and in the ambient temperature. Variations of both kinds are able to motivate major protective actions on the part of animals, including humans. Endothermic ("warm-blooded") animals can use several strategies that blunt the challenge posed by these environmental conditions. In particular, the endotherm can attempt to feed more efficiently, to improve the temperature of its surroundings, and to change the amount of heat lost from its body surface by varying its insulation and by adjusting its body temperature. Strategies of these sorts have been studied in some endotherms during periods of food scarcity and of cold ambient temperatures, but there has not been a suitable experimental situation in which to study the ways endotherms use these responses to maximal advantage by sequencing them or by combining them. Dr. Rashotte's research utilizes experimental procedures by which this problem can by studied. Pigeons are the endothermic animal chosen for study because of the large amount of separate information available on their feeding and thermal responses. The research uses computer technology to measure the feeding and thermal strategies of the birds in situations where the availability of food and the ambient temperature are varied. The work should result in a thorough description of how this endothermic animal copes with variations in the food supply and in cold ambient temperature. This information should be useful in understanding the survival strategies of birds and of endotherms in general, and it should provide a basis for investigating the neural and hormonal bases of survival in these environmental conditions.
