Diversity in Drinking Mechanisms: A Comparative Biomechanical and Phylogenetic Study

Rachel Olson, Ph.D., Moriah Wood, Ph.D. student

Research Background:

Animals drink in many different ways – some animals can form a seal with their lips to suck liquids into the oral cavity, while others lap or lick. These different fluid ingestion mechanisms are distributed across phylogeny and may be influenced by trophic level. For instance, a predator may be able to spend more time ingesting fluid or have better access to a water source compared to prey species. The need to quickly ingest fluids may be the driving force for why prey species have different fluid ingestion strategies. Understanding this distribution and what factors influence this variation can help us better understand the anatomy of different species and how they may respond to changes in their environment.

Project Details:

• Goal: To describe and quantify (biomechanic and performance) differences in fluid ingestion strategies across animals.

• Methods: Mammals at the Akron Zoo will be recorded using a high frame rate while drinking fluid from a clear container. Plexiglass enrichment activities (used to measure fluid ingestion) will need to be constructed prior to data collection. Videos will be analyzed using an image processing software to obtain drinking parameters such as maximum tongue protraction, time of ingestion, and fluid ingestion strategy (e.g., sucking or lapping).

Benefits for the Student:

• Learn about the basic principles of phylogenetics, comparative biomechanics, and video data analysis.

• Receive training on video processing techniques through various software programs.

• Participants have the potential to gain experience in science communication and public speaking, scientific writing, data management, and statistical analysis, as well as presentation their project.

Qualifications:

We are looking for an undergraduate student of any major who is excited and willing to learn the above skills. Prior computer modeling experience is not required, and we are happy to teach you everything you need to know! If you are interested in learning more about comparative biomechanics, fluid ingestion strategy, and video data analysis, please consider joining our research.