Ultradian and circadian respiratory rhythms in grouped small laboratory vertebrate species as a method to assess the effects of environmental challenges.

The recording over several days of the respiratory gases of groups of different laboratory vertebrates (mice, rats, quails), placed in a chamber with controlled ventilation, and in standardized environmental conditions of temperature, humidity, light, noise and feeding, shows ultradian (tau less than 24 hr) and circadian (tau congruent to 24 hr) rhythms. A simple variance analysis method shows periodic carbon dioxide changes, due to different environmental stimuli. Societal, light, acoustical, carbon monoxide and starvation challenges are given as examples. This technique enables us quickly to collect, on a great number of animals, data which correspond to societal behavior changes peculiar to the considered species.