The Biology of the Avian Respiratory System: Evolution, Development, Structure and Function

by John N. Maina
April 2017

The central focus of this book is the avian respiratory system. The authors explain why the respiratory system of modern birds is built the way it is and works the way that it does. Birds have been and continue to attract particular interest to biologists. The more birds are studied, the more it is appreciated that the existence of human-kind on earth very much depends directly and indirectly on the existence of birds. Regarding the avian respiratory system, published works are scattered in biological journals of fields like physiology, behavior, anatomy/morphology and ecology while others appear in as far afield as paleontology and geology. The contributors to this book are world-renowned experts in their various fields of study. Special attention is given to the evolution, the structure, the function and the development of the lung-air sac system. Readers will not only discover the origin of birds but will also learn how the respiratory system of theropod dinosaurs worked and may have transformed into the avian one. In addition, the work explores such aspects as swallowing mechanism in birds, the adaptations that have evolved for flight at extreme altitude and gas exchange in eggs. It is a highly informative and carefully presented work that provides cutting edge scientific insights for readers with an interest in the respiratory biology and the evolution of birds.

Offers a detailed overview of the evolutionary underpinnings of the avian respiratory system (the lung-air sac system) from the theropod dinosaurs to the modern birds
Presents a highly detailed and comprehensive account of the respiratory biology of birds
Shows the strong correlation between the evolution, the development, the structure and the function of the avian respiratory system
Underscores the exceptional efficiency of the avian respiratory system, with two chapters outlining the energetic demands for powered flight and the adaptations for high altitude flight
Comparative approach will be adopted to explain concepts and principles where differences between bird species exist
Contributors are active and prominent experts in their fields of research who provide the cutting edge details