A meta-analysis of in vivo vertebrate cardiac performance: implications for cardiovascular support in the evolution of endothermy

Endothermy in birds and mammals is associated with high body temperatures, and high rates of metabolism that are aerobically supported by elevated rates of cardiovascular O2 transport. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine cardiovascular data from ectothermic and endothermic vertebrates, at rest and during exercise, with the goal of identifying key variables that may have contributed to the role of the cardiovascular system in supporting high rates of O2 transport associated with endothermy. Vascular conductance, cardiac power and stroke work were summarized and calculated from a variety of studies at rest and during exercise for five classes of vertebrates where data were available. Conductance and cardiac power were linearly related to cardiac output from rest to exercise and also interspecifically. Exercise cardiac power and stroke work were greater in the endothermic species, owing to increased flow resulting from increased heart rate and increased pressure. Increased relative ventricle mass (RVM) was related to increased stroke volume in both groups. However, the increased RVM of endotherms was related to the increased pressure, as stroke work per gram of ventricle during exercise was equivalent between the groups. Cardiac power was linearly related to aerobic metabolic power, with 158 mW aerobic power output achieved per mW of cardiac power input. This analysis indicates that the greatly increased heart rate and cardiac stroke work leading to increased blood flow rate and blood pressure was necessary to support the metabolic requirements of endothermy.