Previous studies in primates and other animals have shown that mass specific cost of transport (J kg−1 m−1) for climbing is independent of body size across species, but little is known about within-species allometry of climbing costs or the effects of difficulty and velocity. Here, we assess the effects of velocity, route difficulty, and anatomical variation on the energetic cost of climbing within humans. Twelve experienced rock climbers climbed on an indoor wall over a range of difficulty levels and velocities, with energy expenditure measured via respirometry. We found no effect of body mass or limb proportions on mass-specific cost of transport among subjects. Mass-specific cost of transport was negatively correlated with climbing velocity. Increased route difficulty was associated with slower climbing velocities and thus higher costs, but there was no statistically significant effect of route difficulty on energy expenditure independent of velocity. Finally, human climbing costs measured in this study were similar to published values for other primates, suggesting arboreal adaptations have a negligible effect on climbing efficiency.
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
RESEARCH ARTICLE|
23 June 2021
Determinants of climbing energetic costs in humans
In collection:
Comparative biomechanics of movement
Elaine E. Kozma
,
Elaine E. Kozma
*
1
Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven Kulak, Kortrijk
, Belgium
2
Department of Anthropology, City University of New York, Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016
, USA
3
New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10016
, USA
4
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
, USA
*Author for correspondence: elaine.kozma@kuleuven.be
Search for other works by this author on:
Herman Pontzer
Herman Pontzer
4
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
, USA
5
Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Elaine E. Kozma
*
1
Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven Kulak, Kortrijk
, Belgium
2
Department of Anthropology, City University of New York, Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016
, USA
3
New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10016
, USA
4
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
, USA
Herman Pontzer
4
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
, USA
5
Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
, USA
*Author for correspondence: elaine.kozma@kuleuven.be
Received:
07 Aug 2020
Accepted:
07 Jun 2021
Online ISSN: 1477-9145
Print ISSN: 0022-0949
J Exp Biol jeb.234567.
Article history
Received:
07 Aug 2020
Accepted:
07 Jun 2021
Currently Viewing Accepted Manuscript - Newer Version Available
05 Jul 2021
Citation
Elaine E. Kozma, Herman Pontzer; Determinants of climbing energetic costs in humans. J Exp Biol 2021; jeb.234567. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.234567
Download citation file: