h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Atticus, it is great to see you back here. This Entry is a 'collaboration' - I am just here to help this through the process. As I said it seemed to good to let cobwebs grow on it.

I agree, the crocodile/alligator thing was not explained, how I wrote it. I suppose I presumed everyone knew they were both 'crocodilians'

Thanks for your input - I'll post back once I have had time to make the changes - probably by this evening.

Entry: The Respiratory System of Dinosaurs - A62032628
Author: lanzababy - Pirate - Scout - adrift on life's ocean - U10790805


page turner

... apologies for overlooking the edits I need to make on this Entry. I promise to give it some time this weekend.

I keep meaning to contribute to this Entry. I seem to recall that I have some info pertaining to <the evolution of the respiratory system of ens, which might prove to be relevant to this Entry

Thanks Al

---> Gnomon's comments

I don't understand the first paragraph of "Air Sacs and How they Work" at all. It looks as if you have tidied up a confusing description that doesn't actually make sense. Can you make it any clearer?

I have completely rewritten the first paragraph. Does it make sense?


Formatting, Typos, etc:

"The lungs of a bird do not, themselves, inflate." -- I think this would read better without the commas.

Done

The "bird's respiratory system" link didn't work for me; it loaded half way then locked the browser. I had to close the browser and start again. I suggest you test it; if it is not reliable, it should not be linked to.

Here's a link to a site that does work for me:

http://www.mytoos.com/airsacs.html

I keep testing this link and it seems to be fine with me as well. It is a bit academic, but has a great animation of how a bird actually breathes.

>>>
Majungatholus atopus should be in italics. Common names for animals are not in italics, but the full Latin title should be. This also applies to Areoston Riocoloradensis, (which should have a small r on riocoloradensis). Tyrrannosaurus Rex is well enough known that it is a common name and can be left as it is.

Done

>>>
The paragraph which starts "Their findings showed" has only three sentences, but uses the phrase "uncinate processes" in each, which is uncomfortable. Reword it to reduce this repitition. You could say "Those of running birds" in the third sentence, for example.

Rephrased.


I've attended to all the other little punctuation and so on which you pointed out as well Gnomon. Thanks for the help.

Atticus, if you are around would you give this the once over and let me know if you are happy with how I have reworded some of this?

I don't want to make statements where I should only be making conjectures.

I must admit to finding this a struggle, but hope I have now done this complex subject some justice. I had to keep coming back to it and re-reading it before I managed to re-write it.

No, I still don't undersatnd that explanation.

Here's the three relevant sentences:

As the bird inhales the posterior air sacs inflate, and then as it exhales the anterior sacs deflate which in effect sucks out the depleted air and fills the lungs with air from the posterior sacs. On the next inhalation the posterior air sacs are again filled whilst the anterior sacs fill with air from the lungs. The following exhalation empties the anterior sacs and fills the lungs from the posterior sacs.

I'm assuming that the two sacs, posterior and anterior are like bellows. Let's call them bellows A and bellows B. So writing the above more clearly, we have:

1. Inhalation: Bellows A inflates.
2. Exhalation: Bellows B deflates, sucking out the depleted air and fills the lungs with air from Bellows B.
3. Next Inhalation: Bellows A fills while Bellows B fill with air from the lungs.
4. Next exhalation: Bellows B empties and fills the lungs from Bellows A.

I don't understand how Bellows B can empty out used air and suck air through the lungs from Bellows A at the same time. And we've been told that the lungs don't expand, so they don't really "fill" at any stage. The air moves through them.

How does this sound to you?

As the bird inhales, fresh air runs over the lungs - at the same time another channel takes fresh air directly to the posterior set of air sacs. When the bird exhales, the lungs receive a second boost of oxygen-rich air from these posterior sacs, whilst the depleted, carbon dioxide-containing air from the lungs is removed into the anterior air sacs. From there it is pushed into the trachea and finally removed from the bird's body.

That makes sense. So say that instead of what's in the entry.

New paragraph inserted instead of the confusing one

Any more comments on this please?

This would make a fine accompaniment to GB's 'Feathered dinosaurs'

This looks like it's ready to be accepted. Good collaborative effort all! We'lll get the ball rolling now, if you're happy.

thanks Eds!

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