Eared grebes Podiceps nigricollis, like shorebirds and other long-distance migrants, lay down large amounts of fat to power their journeys. To investigate the pattern of how fat and soft tissue might be mobilized, we used grebes killed in migration and applied computed tomography to reconstruct how stores in the chest, thorax, and abdomen were reduced as body weight decreased. Fat and soft tissue were each mobilized at a constant rate through the entire migration. Fat stores in birds embarking on migration were greater in the abdomen than thorax than chest. In contrast to previous studies indicating that abdominal fat was mobilized first, we found that fat from all areas was mobilized concurrently, but that abdominal fat was catabolized at a greater rate. We suggest why this pattern might be advantageous, consider whether inter-depot differences in fat composition might be involved, and note possible energetic consequences. Whether our findings pertain to other obese or long distance migrants remains to be determined.
CTvsEXT fat measurements
CTvsEXT_table.csv
CT measurements table
CT_Fat_table_complete.csv
D06 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-06) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D06-fat.zip
CC43 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (CC-43) downed in Cedar City, UT, during Fall migration leaving Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
CC43-fat.zip
CC53 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (CC-53) downed in Cedar City, UT, during Fall migration leaving Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
CC53-fat.zip
CC56 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (CC-56) downed in Cedar City, UT, during Fall migration leaving Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
CC56-fat.zip
CC67 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (CC-67) downed in Cedar City, UT, during Fall migration leaving Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
CC67-fat.zip
CC74 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (CC-74) downed in Cedar City UT, during Fall migration leaving Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
CC74-fat.zip
D05 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-05) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D05-fat.zip
D13 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-13) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D13-fat.zip
D15 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-15) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D15-fat.zip
D16 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-16) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D16-fat.zip
D17 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-17) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D17-fat.zip
D18 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-18) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D18-fat.zip
D22 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-22) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D22-fat.zip
D27 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-27) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D27-fat.zip
D34 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-34) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D34-fat.zip
D36 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (D-36) downed in Dugway, UT, during Spring migration towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
D36-fat.zip
G07 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (G-07) downed in Green River, WY, leaving breeding grounds and migrating towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
G07-fat.zip
G10 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (G-10) downed in Green River, WY, leaving breeding grounds and migrating towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
G10-fat.zip
G12 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (G-12) downed in Green River, WY, leaving breeding grounds and migrating towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
G12-fat.zip
G13 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (G-13) downed in Green River, WY, leaving breeding grounds and migrating towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
G13-fat.zip
G14 fat tissue segmentation
Eared grebe (G-14) downed in Green River, WY, leaving breeding grounds and migrating towards Great Salt Lake. After segmentation in Mimics, jpg files were exported with fat tissue highlighted. Images allowed landmark identification and slice range for each ROI (region of interest) - chest, thorax and abdomen. Also, a txt file with fat area measurement for each slice was generated. Depot fat measurement was calculated by matching ROI slice range and fat values.
G14-fat.zip