Theropod dinosaur respiratory system
Theropod dinosaur respiratory system: anatomy and functional morphology. Co-workers on this project include: The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research (South Dakota, USA), Brigham Young University (Provo, USA), Department of Vertebrate Palaeontology at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (USA), Faculty of Life Sciences (University of Manchester) and The Manchester Museum (University of Manchester).
The component of the respiratory system that has been the focus of this research area is the mechanical processes by which pressure change is induced in lungs that cause air to flow in and out of the organism; the musculoskeletal system. The change in air pressure is critical, given like water, air flows from areas of high to low pressure. When the air pressure in the lung is lower relative to air at atmospheric pressure, air is drawn into the respiratory system. Like-wise, when the air pressure in the lung is higher relative to atmospheric pressure, the system empties (exhales). The physical process that changes the shape of the space occupied by the lungs, allowing the alteration of relative air pressure within the respiratory system, is elegant in its simplicity. However, the morphology and mechanics of these biological ‘bellows’ is quite varied.
The biomechanics, morphology, geometry and articulation of hard (bone) and soft-tissue (tendon, ligament and muscle) elements of the respiratory system of dinosaurs are active areas of research in the Palaeontology Group.