4.1. The effect of PA,S and PD,S on Pcoll
Very little work has been done on the respiratory mechanics of
intact marine mammals. However, using P–V curves, Leith (1979)
showed that the chest wall of a ribbon seal is very compliant and
offers almost no structural support to the alveoli. Assuming that the
chest wall does not resist compression, the P–V curve of an excised