All of these mentors have left us, but their impact to the field of
marine mammal physiology and biochemistry is fundamental.
Many of their works are referenced in these chapters.
Of our current colleagues, Dr. Bob Elsner is certainly the grandfather
of them all. A world-known diving physiologist, he studied with Irving,
Scholander, Schmidt-Neilsen, and most of the others. Dr. Elsner is over
90 years old and just as we were writing this dedication, he provided us with
a copy of his newly published book on diving physiology entitled Diving
Seals and Meditating Yogis (University of Chicago Press, 2015).
Dr. Elsner inspired Dr. Gerry Kooyman, also from Scripps, who broke
open the field of modern diving recorders and has been recognized
around the world for his leadership in diving physiology and Antarctic
expeditions. A simple “Google” search on Kooyman and Diving
will result in an astounding number of “hits.” Dr. Kooyman defined
the “aerobic diving limit,” which you will read about in this book.
Dr. Pat Butler is probably the world’s expert on the comparative neural
control of diving and has written a number of reviews on diving physiology.
He and Dr. Jones were long-standing friends and colleagues.
Dr. George Somero continues to be at the forefront of “comparative
biochemistry” and he and Peter Hochachka were the closest of friends.
They published the groundbreaking book Strategies of Biochemical
Adaptation (W.B. Saunders Company, 1973) that many of us
use in teaching. Their research on high-pressure biochemistry
forms the core of much of that work in marine mammals.
Needless to say, Elsner, Kooyman, Butler, and Somero are
all friends and have worked together for years.
Many studied under those noted above and they, in turn, formed
many of the author committees, chairs, and thesis projects in a large
academic family tree, with many interweaving branches. What was
once a small group of researchers has grown into an international field
of thousands. The editors thank in particular those founding members
of their marine mammal careers, Gerry Kooyman, George Somero,
and Peter Hochachka (Castellini), and Sara Iverson (Mellish).
This work is also dedicated to our many current colleagues and students
who have shared years of laboratory, classroom, and field time working
with marine mammals around the world. From exciting to dangerous, the
long nights observing animals, to shared time in camps, on boats, sea ice,
and beaches, working with marine mammals is certainly a group effort.
marine mammal physiology and biochemistry is fundamental.
Many of their works are referenced in these chapters.
Of our current colleagues, Dr. Bob Elsner is certainly the grandfather
of them all. A world-known diving physiologist, he studied with Irving,
Scholander, Schmidt-Neilsen, and most of the others. Dr. Elsner is over
90 years old and just as we were writing this dedication, he provided us with
a copy of his newly published book on diving physiology entitled Diving
Seals and Meditating Yogis (University of Chicago Press, 2015).
Dr. Elsner inspired Dr. Gerry Kooyman, also from Scripps, who broke
open the field of modern diving recorders and has been recognized
around the world for his leadership in diving physiology and Antarctic
expeditions. A simple “Google” search on Kooyman and Diving
will result in an astounding number of “hits.” Dr. Kooyman defined
the “aerobic diving limit,” which you will read about in this book.
Dr. Pat Butler is probably the world’s expert on the comparative neural
control of diving and has written a number of reviews on diving physiology.
He and Dr. Jones were long-standing friends and colleagues.
Dr. George Somero continues to be at the forefront of “comparative
biochemistry” and he and Peter Hochachka were the closest of friends.
They published the groundbreaking book Strategies of Biochemical
Adaptation (W.B. Saunders Company, 1973) that many of us
use in teaching. Their research on high-pressure biochemistry
forms the core of much of that work in marine mammals.
Needless to say, Elsner, Kooyman, Butler, and Somero are
all friends and have worked together for years.
Many studied under those noted above and they, in turn, formed
many of the author committees, chairs, and thesis projects in a large
academic family tree, with many interweaving branches. What was
once a small group of researchers has grown into an international field
of thousands. The editors thank in particular those founding members
of their marine mammal careers, Gerry Kooyman, George Somero,
and Peter Hochachka (Castellini), and Sara Iverson (Mellish).
This work is also dedicated to our many current colleagues and students
who have shared years of laboratory, classroom, and field time working
with marine mammals around the world. From exciting to dangerous, the
long nights observing animals, to shared time in camps, on boats, sea ice,
and beaches, working with marine mammals is certainly a group effort.