180k views
19 votes
What are the advantages of interconnecting air sacs for birds?

User Navid Shad
by
4.0k points

2 Answers

12 votes

Answer:

A large region of interconnected ecosystems.

Step-by-step explanation:

User Nick Mitchinson
by
4.0k points
0 votes

Answer:

The answer to this question is given below in this explanation section.

Step-by-step explanation:

"advantages of interconnecting air sacs for birds"

The air sacs permit a unidirectional flow of air through the lungs.Unidirectional flow means that air moving through birds lungs is largely fresh air and has a higher oxygen content.In contrast air flow is bidirectional in mammals moving back and forth into and out of the lungs.As a result air coming into a mammals lung is mixed with old air has less oxygen. so in bird lungs,more oxygen is available to diffuse into the blood(avian respiratory system).

  • The air sacs are thin membrane structures connected to the primary or secondary bronchi via ostia and they comprise most of the volume of the respiratory system.
  • Air sacs are poorly vascularized by the systemic circulation and do not directly participate in significant gas exchange but act as a bellows to ventilate the lungs.In most species,there are nine air sacs which can be considered in cranial and caudal functional groups.
  • The cranial group consists of the paired cervical air sacs,the unpaired clavicular air sacs and the paired cranial thoracic air sacs.
User Andie Vanille
by
4.0k points