The Respiratory Metabolism and Swimming Performance of Young Sockeye Salmon

1964 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1183-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Brett

The rate of oxygen consumption in young sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) was determined for various swimming speeds, including fatigue levels, at temperatures of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 24 °C. A logarithmic increase in oxygen demand with increase in swimming speed characterized each acclimation temperature. Extrapolation to zero activity (standard metabolism) and maximum activity (active metabolism) provided differences of the order of 10 to 12 times the minimum rate.The greatest scope for activity occurred at 15 °C with an average active metabolic rate of 895 mg O2/kg/hr for a swimming speed of 4.1 body lengths per second, just maintained for 1 hr. Above 15 °C active metabolism was limited, apparently by oxygen availability.Rate of replacement of oxygen debt following fatigue was determined by tracing the return to a resting state of metabolism, and confirmed by re-tests at fatigue velocities. In most instances the rate declined logarithmically with time; in some there was an initial or secondary slump. Times to recovery (return of spontaneous activity) averaged 3.2 hr, independent of acclimation temperature.Swimming speed–fatigue tests indicated a sustained level of performance at about 200–300 min. Comparison with other fish suggests a marked change in slope of the fatigue curve at about 20 sec. The effect of temperature was greatest on sustained speeds and least on burst speeds.


1998 ◽  
Vol 201 (14) ◽  
pp. 2183-2193 ◽  
Author(s):  
A P Farrell ◽  
A K Gamperl ◽  
I K Birtwell

Mature, wild sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) demonstrated their remarkable stamina and recovery abilities by performing three consecutive critical swimming speed tests with only a 45 min interval for recovery between subsequent tests. Although the repeated swimming challenges were performed without a full recovery, normoxic fish swam just as well on the second swim, and the majority of fish swam only marginally more poorly on the third swim. In addition, metabolic loading in these fish, as measured by the rate of oxygen consumption, ventilation rate and plasma lactate levels during recovery, did not appear to be cumulative with successive swims. Fish, however, did not recover as well after a similar level of initial swimming performance under moderately hypoxic conditions (water PO2>100 mmHg; 1 mmHg=0.1333 kPa). Four out of the five fish did not swim again and their high plasma lactate levels indicated a greater anaerobic effort. In another group of fish, metabolic loading (elevated control rates of oxygen consumption) was induced with an overnight sublethal exposure to pentachlorophenol, but these fish swam as well as normoxic fish on the first swim, and five of the six fish swam for a third time at a marginally lower critical swimming speed. In contrast to expectations, pentachlorophenol pretreatment and moderate hypoxia were not additive in their effects. Instead, the effects resembled those of pentachlorophenol pretreatment alone. The results are discussed in terms of what aspects of fatigue might impair the repeat swimming performance of sockeye salmon.



2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (21) ◽  
pp. jeb222133
Author(s):  
Mar Pineda ◽  
Isabel Aragao ◽  
David J. McKenzie ◽  
Shaun S. Killen

ABSTRACTIn some fishes, the ability to breathe air has evolved to overcome constraints in hypoxic environments but comes at a cost of increased predation. To reduce this risk, some species perform group air breathing. Temperature may also affect the frequency of air breathing in fishes, but this topic has received relatively little research attention. This study examined how acclimation temperature and acute exposure to hypoxia affected the air-breathing behaviour of a social catfish, the bronze corydoras Corydoras aeneus, and aimed to determine whether individual oxygen demand influenced the behaviour of entire groups. Groups of seven fish were observed in an arena to measure air-breathing frequency of individuals and consequent group air-breathing behaviour, under three oxygen concentrations (100%, 60% and 20% air saturation) and two acclimation temperatures (25 and 30°C). Intermittent flow respirometry was used to estimate oxygen demand of individuals. Increasingly severe hypoxia increased air breathing at the individual and group levels. Although there were minimal differences in air-breathing frequency among individuals in response to an increase in temperature, the effect of temperature that did exist manifested as an increase in group air-breathing frequency at 30°C. Groups that were more socially cohesive during routine activity took more breaths but, in most cases, air breathing among individuals was not temporally clustered. There was no association between an individual's oxygen demand and its air-breathing frequency in a group. For C.aeneus, although air-breathing frequency is influenced by hypoxia, behavioural variation among groups could explain the small overall effect of temperature on group air-breathing frequency.



1970 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1209-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. W. H. Beamish

When Tilapia nilotica was acclimated to temperatures of 15–35 C and salinities of 0–30‰ in a vertical gradient tank, maximum temperature preferenda occurred at acclimation temperatures of 20 and 25 irrespective of salinity. Preferenda declined as acclimation temperature was increased above 25 C and, except at 0 and 7.5‰, declined as acclimation temperature was decreased below 20 C. The pattern of the relation between final temperature preferenda and salinity was similar to that reported between oxygen consumption for a given sustained swimming speed and salinity. The final preferendum was lowest at 15‰, close to the isosmotic salinity of T. nilotica, and highest at the extremes, 0 and 30‰. Final temperature preferenda are in general agreement with optimum temperatures reported for growth, reproduction, and swimming performance.



1967 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1731-1741 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Brett

Further studies on the swimming performance of fingerling sockeye salmon at fixed velocities have been conducted in relation to fatigue time. The method of probit analysis, commonly used in dealing with bioassay data, was found to be suitable for determining times to 50% fatigue and in providing a measure of variance despite the presence of some erratic behaviour. For sockeye acclimated to 15 C (mean length = 13.6 cm) the velocity at which 50% fatigued was 54.4 cm/sec or 4.0 lengths/sec (L/sec). The 5% and 95% fatigue velocities were 3.1 and 4.8 L/sec, respectively. Larger fish required longer exposure times for determining maximum sustained speeds, extending from approximately 120 min for fingerlings to 500 min for adults.Using the method of increasing velocity steps the effect of temperatures from 5 to 27.5 C was examined. When acclimated to 15 C fingerling sockeye exhibited only a 4% reduction in swimming speed at 10 and 20 C. Temperatures above the lethal level caused a rapid decline in swimming ability approaching the extinction point at 27.5 C.Recommendations for standard procedures in the study of swimming speeds are made.



1989 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 384-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. W. H. Beamish ◽  
J. C. Howlett ◽  
T. E. Medland

Juvenile lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, of similar size were fed one of three isocaloric diets, each differing in protein and lipid content. Oxygen consumption and swimming performance were measured in a recirculating water flume at intervals throughout the 70-d feeding trials (10 °C). Swimming speed was increased by stepwise velocity increments (5 cm∙s−1) and oxygen consumption was measured at each velocity between 20 and 45 cm∙s−1. Oxygen consumption for a given speed did not differ significantly throughout the feeding trial nor among the diets implying a similarity in the quality and quantity of substrate catabolized for energy. Basal metabolism (0 cm∙s−1) was also independent of diet and feeding interval. Critical swimming speed increased with dietary and carcass protein content to suggest a direct association with muscle mass and number of myofilaments.



2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 1127-1137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leif Nøttestad ◽  
Justine Diaz ◽  
Hector Penã ◽  
Henrik Søiland ◽  
Geir Huse ◽  
...  

Abstract High abundance of Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.), combined with limited food resources, may now force mackerel to enter new and productive regions in the northern Norwegian Sea. However, it is not known how mackerel exploit the spatially varying feeding resources, and their vertical distribution and swimming behaviour are also largely unknown. During an ecosystem survey in the Norwegian Sea during the summer feeding season, swimming direction, and speed of mackerel schools were recorded with high-frequency omnidirectional sonar in four different regions relative to currents, ambient temperature, and zooplankton. A total of 251 schools were tracked, and fish and zooplankton were sampled with pelagic trawl and WP-2 plankton net. Except for the southwest region, swimming direction of the tracked schools coincided with the prevailing northerly Atlantic current direction in the Norwegian Sea. Swimming with the current saves energy, and the current also provides a directional cue towards the most productive areas in the northern Norwegian Sea. Average mean swimming speed in all regions combined was ∼3.8 body lengths s−1. However, fish did not swim in a straight course, but often changed direction, suggesting active feeding in the near field. Fish were largest and swimming speed lowest in the northwest region which had the highest plankton concentrations and lowest temperature. Mackerel swam close to the surface at a depth of 8–39 m, with all schools staying above the thermocline in waters of at least 6°C. In surface waters, mackerel encounter improved foraging rate and swimming performance. Going with the flow until temperature is too low, based on an expectation of increasing foraging rate towards the north while utilizing available prey under way, could be a simple and robust feeding strategy for mackerel in the Norwegian Sea.



1993 ◽  
Vol 178 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Webb

Kinematics and steady swimming performance were recorded for steelhead trout (approximately 12.2 cm in total length) swimming in channels 4.5, 3 and 1.6 cm wide in the centre of a flume 15 cm wide. Channel walls were solid or porous. Tail-beat depth and the length of the propulsive wave were not affected by spacing of either solid or porous walls. The product of tail-beat frequency, F, and amplitude, H, was related to swimming speed, u, and to harmonic mean distance of the tail from the wall, z. For solid walls: FH = 1.01(+/−0.31)u0.67(+/−0.09)z(0.12+/−0.02) and for grid walls: FH = 0.873(+/−0.302)u0.74(+/−0.08)z0.064(+/−0.024), where +/−2 s.e. are shown for regression coefficients. Thus, rates of working were smaller for fish swimming between solid walls, but the reduction due to wall effects decreased with increasing swimming speed. Porous grid walls had less effect on kinematics, except at low swimming speeds. Spacing of solid walls did not affect maximum tail-beat frequency, but maximum tail-beat amplitude decreased with smaller wall widths. Maximum tail-beat amplitude similarly decreased with spacing between grid walls, but maximum tail-beat frequency increased. Walls also reduced maximum swimming speed. Wall effects have not been adequately taken into account in most studies of fish swimming in flumes and fish wheels.



1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (2) ◽  
pp. R222-R227 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Stinner

The cardiovascular adjustments associated with elevated metabolic demand caused by rising body temperature were investigated in Coluber constrictor. From 16 to 35 degrees C, O2 consumption increased roughly ninefold. Systemic blood flow, determined by the Fick method, increased approximately 4.5-fold and arteriovenous O2 difference increased approximately 2-fold. Heart rate steadily increased over the temperature range examined. At the cooler temperatures stroke volume also increased but, above approximately 25 degrees C, stroke volume declined with rising temperature. The changes in stroke volume may result from the direct effect of temperature on myocardial contractility. The thermal dependence of blood convection requirement in C. constrictor is similar to changes in air convection requirement determined in a previous study. Consequently the minute ventilation-to-perfusion ratio appears to be independent of temperature, at least from 20 to 35 degrees C. Systemic arterial blood pressure increases with rising body temperature due to the rise in cardiac output, whereas vascular resistance declines. Blood pressure in snakes disturbed by the investigator is roughly two times higher than in resting animals at all temperatures studied. This marked change in blood pressure suggests an "alarm reaction" mediated by the sympathetic nervous system.



2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Pang ◽  
Xing-Zhong Yuan ◽  
Zhen-Dong Cao ◽  
Yao-Guang Zhang ◽  
Shi-Jian Fu


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gernot O. Hering ◽  
Jens Stepan

The lactate threshold (LT) and the strongly related maximal lactate steady state workload (MLSSW) are critical for physical endurance capacity and therefore of major interest in numerous sports. However, their relevance to individual swimming performance is not well understood. We used a custom-made visual light pacer for real-time speed modulation during front crawl to determine the LT and MLSSW in a single-exercise test. When approaching the LT, we found that minute variations in swimming speed had considerable effects on blood lactate concentration ([La−]). The LT was characterized by a sudden increase in [La−], while the MLSSW occurred after a subsequent workload reduction, as indicated by a rapid cessation of blood lactate accumulation. Determination of the MLSSW by this so-called “individual lactate threshold” (ILT)-test was highly reproducible and valid in a constant speed test. Mean swimming speed in 800 and 1,500 m competition (S-Comp) was 3.4% above MLSSW level and S-Comp, and the difference between S-Comp and the MLSSW (Δ S-Comp/MLSSW) were higher for long-distance swimmers (800–1,500 m) than for short- and middle-distance swimmers (50–400 m). Moreover, Δ S-Comp/MLSSW varied significantly between subjects and had a strong influence on overall swimming performance. Our results demonstrate that the MLSSW determines individual swimming performance, reflects endurance capacity in the sub- to supra-threshold range, and is therefore appropriate to adjust training intensity in moderate to severe domains of exercise.



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