An investigation was carried out into the respiratory substrates of three migratory bird species during endurance flight by measuring their rate of carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption in a wind tunnel under controlled conditions. The data are shown in the table below:
| Species | CO2\text{CO}_2CO2 produced (mL g−1 h−1)(\text{mL}\,\text{g}^{-1}\,\text{h}^{-1})(mLg−1h−1) | O2\text{O}_2O2 consumed (mL g−1 h−1)(\text{mL}\,\text{g}^{-1}\,\text{h}^{-1})(mLg−1h−1) |
|---|---|---|
| Anser indicus | 1.84 | 1.84 |
| Calidris canutus | 1.12 | 1.60 |
| Falco peregrinus | 1.48 | 1.85 |
Calculate the respiratory quotient (RQ) for each bird species and suggest the primary respiratory substrate (carbohydrate, lipid, or protein) metabolized by each. Justify your suggestions.
Amylose is a plant-derived energy storage polysaccharide, whereas cellulose provides structural support in plant cell walls. State two structural similarities and two structural differences between the polymers amylose and cellulose.
