Buoyancy Range, Gas Bladder Volume, and Lipid Content of Adult Bloater, Coregonus hoyi Gill, in the Laurentian Great Lakes

We analyzed buoyancy characteristics (buoyancy range, gas bladder volume, and lipid content) of adult bloater, Coregonus hoyi Gill, in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Buoyancy was measured directly in individual bloater and compared with the hydrostatic pressures at the depths of capture. The results of the buoyancy comparisons suggest that C. hoyi has a buoyancy range comparable to the 'free vertical range' of movement that has been described for other fishes. The buoyancy range of bloater does not support the argument that they undergo diel vertical migrations, as suggested in earlier studies. Rather, the buoyancy range for bloater reflects the depths of neutral buoyancy and the distance above these depths at which they can maintain vertical position in the water column. The available data suggest that adult bloater are neutrally buoyant near the lake bottom, and C. hoyi with 50% positive buoyancy are at the top of their depth range. Large bloater have relatively small gas bladder volumes and a high lipid content. Based on the observed vertical distribution of large and small C. hoyi and our results, we deduced that large fish are more adept than small fish at regulating their buoyancy for prolonged stays at higher hydrostatic pressures. Lipid content for bloater was not significantly different with respect to sex or origin (wild vs. captive-raised).     

In a squeeze: Epibiosis may affect the distribution of kelp forests

The processes limiting the population recovery of the kelp Saccharina latissima after recent large‐scale loss from the south coast of Norway are poorly understood. Previous investigations do, however, suggest that the impacts of biotic interactions (epibiosis and competition) and increased water turbidity are important. We investigated the depth‐related patterns of growth, epibiosis, and mortality in two sample populations of kelp, from the south and the southwest coast of Norway. The investigations were performed over a period of seven months, in a crossed translocational study, where kelps were mounted on rigs at six depths (1, 3, 6, 9, 15, and 24 m). In a second experiment, the amounts of light blocked by different epibiont layers growing on the kelp frond were investigated. While growth decreased with depth in spring and summer, the kelp grew faster at 15 m than at shallower depths in fall. Survival was low both in shallow water and below 15 m depth. Epibionts covered the kelp growing at depths from 1 to 9 m, and the laboratory study showed that the coverage may have deprived the individuals of as much as 90% of the available light. Although the depth‐related results we present apply—in the strictest sense—only to kelp translocated on rigs, we argue that the relative patterns are relevant for natural populations. Growth and survival of S. latissima is likely to be reduced by heavy loads of epibionts, while depths where epibionts are sparse may be close to the lower limit of the kelps depth distribution along the south coast of Norway. This suggests that a vertical squeeze, or narrowing of the distribution range of kelp forests may be occurring in Norway.     

Swimming behavior in relation to buoyancy in an open swimbladder fish, the Chinese sturgeon

The swimbladder of fishes is readily compressed by hydrostatic pressure with depth, causing changes in buoyancy. While modern fishes can regulate buoyancy by secreting gases from the blood into the swimbladder, primitive fishes, such as sturgeons, lack this secretion mechanism and rely entirely on air gulped at the surface to inflate the swimbladder. Therefore, sturgeons may experience changes in buoyancy that will affect their behavior at different depths. To test this prediction, we attached data loggers to seven free-ranging Chinese sturgeons Acipenser sinensis in the Yangtze River, China, to monitor their depth utilization, tail-beating activity, swim speed and body inclination. Two distinct, individual-specific, behavioral patterns were observed. Four fish swam at shallow depths (7–31 m), at speeds of 0.5–0.6 m s⁻¹, with ascending and descending movements of 1.0–2.4 m in amplitude. They beat their tails continuously, indicating that their buoyancy was close to neutral with their inflated swimbladders. In addition, their occasional visits to the surface suggest that they gulped air to inflate their swimbladders. The other three fish spent most of their time (88–94%) on the river bottom at a depth of 106–122 m with minimum activity. They occasionally swam upwards at speeds of 0.6–0.8 m s⁻¹ with intense tailbeats before gliding back passively to the bottom, in a manner similar to fishes that lack a swimbladder. Their bladders were probably collapsed by hydrostatic pressure, resulting in negative buoyancy. We conclude that Chinese sturgeons behave according to their buoyancy, which varies with depth due to hydrostatic compression of the swimbladder.     

The properties and buoyancy-providing role of gas vacuoles in Trichodesmium Ehrenberg

All three species of the marine blue-green alga Trichodesmium collected in the Sargasso and Caribbean seas were found to possess gas vacuoles. The constituent gas vesicles were much stronger than those found in any freshwater blue-green alga, the mean critical collapse pressures being 12 bars in T. erythraeum, 34 bars in T. contortum and 37 bars in T. thiebautii. This great strength is obviously an adaptation to the hydrostatic pressures at the depths to which these organisms occur in the ocean. In each case the gas vesicles are far too strong to be collapsed by rising cell turgor pressure, though gas-vacuolation could be slowly regulated by the differential growth of gas vesicles and cells. Since the vesicles are of a similar shape and size to those in other species, the vesicle wall material must be stronger. The majority of Trichodesmium colonies collected were positively buoyant, and in all cases tested the buoyancy was dependent on the presence of gas vacuoles. The buoyancy is important in increasing the residence time of these slowly growing algae in the euphotic zone and it is responsible for the surface water-blooms which they form.     

Probing the stability of S-layer-supported planar lipid membranes

Isolated protein subunits of the crystalline bacterial cell surface layer (S-layer) of Bacillus coagulans E38-66 have been recrystallized on one side of planar black lipid membranes (BLMs) and their influence on the electrical properties, rupture kinetics and mechanical stability of the BLM was investigated. The effect on the boundary potential, the capacitance or the conductance of the membrane was negligible whereas the mechanical properties were considerably changed. The mechanical stability was characterized by applying voltage pulses or ramps to induce irreversible rupture. The amplitude of the voltage pulse leading to rupture allows conclusions on the ability of membranes to resist external forces. Surprisingly, these amplitudes were significantly lower for composite S-layer/lipid membranes compared to undecorated BLMs. In contrast, the delay time between the voltage pulse and the appearance of the initial defect was found to be drastically longer for the S-layer-supported lipid bilayer. Furthermore, the kinetics of the rupture process was recorded. Undecorated membranes show a fast linear increase of the pore conductance in time, indicating an inertia-limited defect growth. The attachment of an S-layer causes a slow exponential increase in the conductance during rupture, indicating a viscosity-determined widening of the pore. In addition, the mechanical properties on a longer time scale were investigated by applying a hydrostatic pressure across the BLMs. This causes the BLM to bulge, as monitored by an increase in capacitance. Compared to undecorated BLMs, a significantly higher pressure gradient has to be applied on the S-layer face of the composite BLMs to observe any change in capacitance. Received: 4 May 1999 / Revised version: 1 July 1999 / Accepted: 1 July 1999     

Steady-state pleural fluid flow and pressure and the effects of lung buoyancy

Both theoretical and experimental studies of pleural fluid dynamics and lung buoyancy during steady-state, apneic conditions are presented. The theory shows that steady-state, top-to-bottom pleural-liquid flow creates a pressure distribution that opposes lung buoyancy. These two forces may balance, permitting dynamic lung floating, but when they do not, pleural-pleural contact is required. The animal experiments examine pleural-liquid pressure distributions in response to simulated reduced gravity, achieved by lung inflation with perfluorocarbon liquid as compared to air. The resulting decrease in lung buoyancy modifies the force balance in the pleural fluid, which is reflected in its vertical pressure gradient. The data and model show that the decrease in buoyancy with perfluorocarbon inflation causes the vertical pressure gradient to approach hydrostatic. In the microgravity analogue, the pleural pressures would be toward a more uniform distribution, consistent with ventilation studies during space flight. The pleural liquid turnover predicted by the model is computed and found to be comparable to experimental values from the literature. The model provides the flow field, which can be used to develop a full transport theory for molecular and cellular constituents that are found in pleural fluid.     

Planktothrix populations in subalpine lakes: selection for strains with strong gas vesicles as a function of lake depth,morphometry and circulation

1. The genus Planktothrix (Cyanobacteria) usually produces concentrated populations of filaments in the summer metalimnion of thermally stratifying lakes. This has been associated with the action of gas vesicles, cellular structures providing positive buoyancy. At the end of the summer, filaments are carried by convective mixing deeper into the water column where some gas vesicles collapse as a result of high hydrostatic pressure. They then lose their buoyancy, sink and are lost from the euphotic zone. 2. The resistance of gas vesicles to hydrostatic pressures is critical for the survival of Planktothrix in deep lakes. However, comparative observations on populations from lakes of a range of depths and hydrodynamic regimes are still needed to examine the relationships between the adaptive trait (i.e. the ‘critical’ pressure at which each gas vesicle collapses) with the environmental factor (i.e. the maximum hydrostatic pressure). 3. To explore the adaptation of Planktothrix populations to the depth of winter circulation in different systems, we collected 276 strains of P. cf. rubescens from eight lakes (z_max = 24–410 m) in Northern Italy during summer 2009 and we analysed the multicopy gene gvpC coding for a protein that crucially influences the critical pressure. 4. The strains analysed clustered into two main groups having gas vesicles with a mean critical pressure of 1.1 and 0.9 MPa, respectively. The proportion of the stronger strains was generally positively related to lake depth, although the overall pattern was complicated by individual lake morphology and hydrology. The relative frequency of stronger filaments was (i) greatest in deep basins with concave slopes and (ii) least in one deep, but permanently stratified lake. 5. The simultaneous presence of ‘weaker’ and ‘stronger’ filaments could allow for a rapid adaptive response to changes in hydrostatic pressures, related to changes in the amplitude of vertical circulation characterising deep lakes.     

Septal fracture in Nautilus: implications for cephalopod paleobathymetry

Analysis of septal geometry, as embodied in the septal strength index model developed by Westermann (1973, Lethaia 6). , has become a prime avenue for estimating living depths of fossil cephalopods. We have examined the fracturing of Nautilus septa, and its bearing on strength index, by inducing septal rupture under the action of hydrostatic pressure. We found that: (1) septa which actually fail under pressure are not generally weakest as defined by their strength indices; (2) septal strength as defined by the strength index is not correlated with rupture pressure; and (3) most instances of septal failure originate in septal sutures, not in the septa. These results indicate that: (1) septal strength index does not yield wholly reliable strength or depth estimates; and (2) the shortcomings of the strength index model stem from its inability to account for complexities of mechanical failure in morphologically complex cephalopod shells.     

The Biogeographic Importance of Buoyancy in Macroalgae: A Case Study of the Southern Bull-Kelp Genus Durvillaea (Phaeophyceae), Including Descriptions of Two New Species1

Long-distance dispersal plays a key role in evolution, facilitating allopatric divergence, range expansions, and species movement in response to environmental change. Even species that seem poorly suited to dispersal can sometimes travel long distances, for example via hitchhiking with other, more intrinsically dispersive species. In marine macroalgae, buoyancy can enable adults—and diverse hitchhikers—to drift long distances, but the evolution and role of this trait are poorly understood. The southern bull-kelp genus Durvillaea includes several non-buoyant and buoyant species, including some that have only recently been recognized. In revising the genus, we not only provide updated identification tools and describe two new species (D. incurvata comb. nov. from Chile and D. fenestrata sp. nov. from the Antipodes Islands), but also carry out biogeographic analyses to determine the evolutionary history of buoyancy in the genus. Although the ancestral state was resolved as non-buoyant, the distribution of species suggests that this trait has been both gained and lost, possibly more than once. We conclude that although buoyancy is a trait that can be useful for dispersal (creating evolutionary pressure for its gain), there is also evolutionary pressure for its loss as it restricts species to narrow environmental ranges (i.e., shallow depths).     

The role of pressure in controlling the entry of water into the developing eggs of the Australian plague locust Chortoicetes terminifera (Walker)

The normal internal hydrostatic pressure and the additional pressure necessary to rupture the egg shell was measured in the eggs of Chortoicetes terminifera, Newly laid white eggs burst at c 0.15 kg cm^-2, but after external tanning the chorion withstands c 0.5 kg cm^-2 when removed from its tanned foam ‘corset’ and 1.0 kg cm^-2 if left embedded in the egg pod material. Older eggs with formed cuticles often withstand 2.0 kg cm^-2 but yield at rather lower pressures if they develop ‘pin-holes’. As the OP of the egg contents always exceeds 7.7 kg cm^-2 the rigidity of the wall is clearly insufficient to permit the generation of high hydrostatic pressures capable of preventing water entry during the non-absorbing phases of development. Real hydrostatic pressures are lower than 0.06 kg cm^-2 in the young intact egg and reach only c 0.5 and 0.3 kg cm^-2, respectively, during the absorptive and post-absorptive phases of development. Several events contribute to the sigmoid form of the water uptake curve. Water is at first excluded by a permeability barrier associated with the chorion. Absorption is delayed until the yolk is completely enclosed by the serosal cell layer. After undergoing cleavage, the yolk is then rapidly mobilized to furnish precursors for cuticle synthesis; in consequence, the internal OP rises from δ 0.76d?K to 0.93d?K despite the massive inflow of water which is governed by the osmotic gradient. At blastokinesis the serosa becomes detached from the cuticle; cuticle deposition and yolk mobilization are halted, the OP falling rapidly to cδT 0.53d?K. The bulk entry of water then ceases. Any excessive hydrostatic pressures which develop later are relieved by the formation of self-sealing ‘pin-holes’.     

Ocean acidification and kelp development: Reduced pH has no negative effects on meiospore germination and gametophyte development of Macrocystis pyrifera and Undaria pinnatifida

The absorption of anthropogenic CO₂ by the oceans is causing a reduction in the pH of the surface waters termed ocean acidification (OA). This could have substantial effects on marine coastal environments where fleshy (non‐calcareous) macroalgae are dominant primary producers and ecosystem engineers. Few OA studies have focused on the early life stages of large macroalgae such as kelps. This study evaluated the effects of seawater pH on the ontogenic development of meiospores of the native kelp Macrocystis pyrifera and the invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifida, in south‐eastern New Zealand. Meiospores of both kelps were released into four seawater pH treatments (pH_T 7.20, extreme OA predicted for 2300; pH_T 7.65, OA predicted for 2100; pH_T 8.01, ambient pH; and pH_T 8.40, pre‐industrial pH) and cultured for 15 d. Meiospore germination, germling growth rate, and gametophyte size and sex ratio were monitored and measured. Exposure to reduced pH_T (7.20 and 7.65) had positive effects on germling growth rate and gametophyte size in both M. pyrifera and U. pinnatifida, whereas, higher pH_T (8.01 and 8.40) reduced the gametophyte size in both kelps. Sex ratio of gametophytes of both kelps was biased toward females under all pH_T treatments, except for U. pinnatifida at pH_T 7.65. Germling growth rate under OA was significantly higher in M. pyrifera compared to U. pinnatifida but gametophyte development was equal for both kelps under all seawater pH_T treatments, indicating that the microscopic stages of the native M. pyrifera and the invasive U. pinnatifida will respond similarly to OA.     

Reproductive Output,Synchrony across Depth and Influence of Source Depth in the Development of Early Life stages of Kelp

Ecklonia radiata is the main foundation species in Australian temperate reefs, yet little has been published on its reproduction and how this may change across its depth range (1–50+ m). In this study, we examined differences in sporophyte morphology and zoospore production during a reproductive season and across four depths (7, 15, 25, and 40 m). Additionally, we examined differences in germination rate, survival, and morphological traits of gametophytes obtained from these four depths, cultured under the same light and temperature conditions. Multivariate morphology of sporophytes differed significantly between deep (~40 m) and shallow sites (7 and 15 m), but individual morphological traits were not significantly different across depths. Total spore production was similar across depths but the peak of zoospore release was observed in February at 15 m of depth (6,154 zoospores · mm^?2 of tissue) and the minimum observed in January at 7, 25, and 40 m (1,141, 987, and 214 zoospores · mm^?2 of tissue, respectively). The source depth of zoospores did not have an influence in the germination rate or the survival of gametophytes, and only gametophytes sourced from 40 m sites presented significantly less surface area and number of branches. Overall, these results indicate that E. radiata’s reproductive performance does not change across its depth range and that kelp beds reproducing in deeper areas may contribute to the replenishment of their shallow counterparts. We propose that deep kelps may constitute a mechanism of resilience against climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.     

A laser microbeam study of amoeboid movement

Specimens of Amoeba proteus and Chaos carolinensis were vitally stained with Alcian blue and subjected to pulsed laser microbeam irradiation in the flux density range of 0.5–4.0 joules/cm². Sublytic doses of microbeam irradiation influenced streaming and cell movement only in vitally stained cells and when delivered to the frontal regions of pseudopodia. The effect was temporary, as streaming resumed after some seconds. Exposure of the uroid to similar amounts of radiation undoubtedly had a stronger heating effect because of greater dye accumulation in the uroid; however, there was no detectable instantaneous or delayed effect of irradiation of the uroid. Higher doses of irradiation in Marshall's medium cause rupture of the plasmalemma and rapid flow of cytoplasm from the point of injury, irrespective of its location, followed in 1.0–1.2 sec by an elastic recoil. The initial rapid flow toward the wound was apparently caused by a slightly higher hydrostatic pressure within the cell because it was reduced in 0.25 M sucrose. When the uroid was suddenly opened to the sucrose medium by a lytic dose of microbeam irradiation, cytoplasm continued to flow into extending pseudopodia. Present results are not only consistent with the frontal contraction theory, but indicate that it is unnecessary to postulate an additional contraction of the uroid as a contributing factor in steady-state amoeboid movement. The results in addition shed some light on the speed of the surface precipitation reaction in wound-healing, on the existence of an internal hydrostatic pressure but not a pressure gradient along the axis of movement and on the viscoelastic properties of the cytoplasm.     

Seasonal sea ice cover as principal driver of spatial and temporal variation in depth extension and annual production of kelp in Greenland

We studied the depth distribution and production of kelp along the Greenland coast spanning Arctic to sub‐Arctic conditions from 78 ºN to 64 ºN. This covers a wide range of sea ice conditions and water temperatures, with those presently realized in the south likely to move northwards in a warmer future. Kelp forests occurred along the entire latitudinal range, and their depth extension and production increased southwards presumably in response to longer annual ice‐free periods and higher water temperature. The depth limit of 10% kelp cover was 9–14 m at the northernmost sites (77–78 ºN) with only 94–133 ice‐free days per year, but extended to depths of 21–33 m further south (73 ºN–64 ºN) where >160 days per year were ice‐free, and annual production of Saccharina longicruris and S. latissima, measured as the size of the annual blade, ranged up to sevenfold among sites. The duration of the open‐water period, which integrates light and temperature conditions on an annual basis, was the best predictor (relative to summer water temperature) of kelp production along the latitude gradient, explaining up to 92% of the variation in depth extension and 80% of the variation in kelp production. In a decadal time series from a high Arctic site (74 ºN), inter‐annual variation in sea ice cover also explained a major part (up to 47%) of the variation in kelp production. Both spatial and temporal data sets thereby support the prediction that northern kelps will play a larger role in the coastal marine ecosystem in a warmer future as the length of the open‐water period increases. As kelps increase carbon‐flow and habitat diversity, an expansion of kelp forests may exert cascading effects on the coastal Arctic ecosystem.     

Hydrostatic pressure as the controlling factor in the depth distribution of Eurasian watermilfoil,Myriophyllum spicatum L.

These experimental studies have shown that this plant will grow successfully at pressures encountered in water at depths as great as 17 m. When there were suitable levels of light, temperature, nutrients and aeration, the plants grown under constant hydrostatic pressure for three weeks showed variations in the measured amounts of new growth but no measure could be associated with the constant increased hydrostatic pressure. Sudden changes in pressure are thought to play a significant role in aquatic plant growth under experimental conditions.     

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF ECKLONIA RADIATA (LAMINARIALES) TO A LATITUDINAL GRADIENT IN OCEAN TEMPERATURE1

We tested the ability of sporophytes of a small kelp, Ecklonia radiata (C. Agardh) J. Agardh, to adjust their photosynthesis, respiration, and cellular processes to increasingly warm ocean climates along a latitudinal gradient in ocean temperature (～4°C). Tissue concentrations of pigment and nutrients decreased with increasing ocean temperature. Concurrently, a number of gradual changes in the metabolic balance of E. radiata took place along the latitudinal gradient. Warm‐acclimatized kelps had 50% lower photosynthetic rates and 90% lower respiration rates at the optimum temperature than did cool‐acclimatized kelps. A reduction in temperature sensitivity was also observed as a reduction in Q₁₀‐values from cool‐ to warm‐acclimatized kelps for gross photosynthesis (Q₁₀: 3.35 to 1.45) and respiration (Q₁₀: 3.82 to 1.65). Respiration rates were more sensitive to increasing experimental temperatures (10% higher Q₁₀‐values) than photosynthesis and had a higher optimum temperature, irrespective of sampling location. To maintain a positive carbon balance, E. radiata increased the critical light demand (E_c) exponentially with increasing experimental temperature. The temperature dependency of E_c was, however, weakened with increasing ocean temperature, such that the critical light demand was relaxed in kelp acclimated to higher ocean temperatures. Nevertheless, calculations of critical depth limits suggested that direct effects of future temperature increases are unlikely to be as strong as effects of reduced water clarity, another globally increasing problem in coastal areas.     

Cuttlebone morphology limits habitat depth in eleven species of Sepia (Cephalopoda: Sepiidae)

The cuttlebone is a rigid buoyancy tank that imposes a depth limit on Sepia, the only living speciose cephalopod genus with a chambered shell. Sections of 59 cuttlebones from a geographically diverse sample of 11 species were examined using confocal microscopy. Sepia species that live at greater depths had thicker septa and less space between pillars than did shallow species. A plate theory analysis of cuttlebone strength based on these two measures predicted maximum capture depths accurately in most species. Thus cuttlebone morphology confers differing degrees of strength against implosion from hydrostatic pressure, which increases with increasing habitat depth. Greater strength may come at the cost of increased cuttlebone density, which impinges on the cuttlebone's buoyancy function.     

Post-mortem behaviour of Early Paleozoic nautiloids and paleobathymetry

It is unlikely that the intact or commonly preserved varieties of Ordovician-Silurian nautiloid shells were able to drift for any distance at the surface of the sea even if they died there. Their cameral capacity was much larger than the volume of the extracted or decayed body, and it would have contained a partial vacuum and cameral liquid when they were alive. The closely spaced and thin septa of the shallow-water adapted species were liable to buckle in compression and then implode in local tension during reverse hydrostatic loading by water pressure. This reverse loading and internal implosion of the septa was probably initiated by the sudden cameral refilling of an apical chamber caused by the depositional rupture of the apical siphuncle at or near the maximum habitat depth of these species. The instantaneous buckling of the more adorai septa was potentially terminated by variations in the septum thickness and cameral fill-fractions at that time, and they imply that some of the Silurian nautiloids from Bohemia were deposited at a minimum depth of about 65 m. Alternative interpretations involving the breakage of the same septa in tension, or buckling due to the difference in pressure between adjacent flooded chambers, set a maximum depth limit of about 160 m for the same facies. Many of the smaller Silurian nautiloids were unlikely to buckle during refilling, and they were potentially flooded faster than they could sink, below a depth of 100–300 m.     

Hydrostatic pressure regulates tight junctions, actin cytoskeleton and transcellular ion transport

In the epithelia and endothelia, tight junctions regulate the movement of several substances through the paracellular pathway, maintaining several gradients between apical and basal compartments including osmolality and hydrostatic pressure. In this study, we show that the change of hydrostatic pressure gradient affected tight junctions as well as actin cytoskeleton, cell height and transcellular ion transport. Hydrostatic pressure gradient from basolateral to apical side increased transepithelial conductance and altered claudin-1 localization within several tens of minutes. These changes were promptly restored by the elimination of hydrostatic pressure gradient. Hydrostatic pressure gradient also induced dynamic changes in the actin structure and cell height. We further found that hydrostatic pressure gradient from basolateral to apical side stimulates transcellular Cl⁻ transport. Our present findings indicate that the epithelial cell structures and functions are regulated by the hydrostatic pressure gradient which is generated and maintained by the epithelia themselves.     

Intra- and inter-specific variation in buoyancy of some estuarine fishes

Synopsis Buoyancy was measured on eight species of estuarine fishes that were caught in 1 m depth or less. Mean buoyancies of the physoclists Fundulus heteroclitus, F. majalis, Cyprinodon variegatus and Leiostomus xanthurus were similar and ranged from –6.5 to –18.0 kiloPascals below atmospheric pressure at sea level. Menidia menidia and Pomatomus saltatrix measured –36.6 and –46.1 kPa, respectively. Two physostomes, Brevoortia tyrannus and Anchoa mitchilli, measured + 2.9 and –23.5 kPa, respectively, but the latter probably releases air when handled.The four most buoyant physoclist species live near the bottom in areas that receive daily tide induced currents. Negative buoyancy probably functions in them as in stream dwelling minnows and salmonids, which respond to currents by decreasing their buoyancy. The pronounced negative buoyancy of M. menidia may be a response to a preference for habitat where the currents are stronger, P. saltatrix, which can secrete gas into the swim bladder at the fastest rate known for any fish, combines high secretion (and resorption) rates with marked negative buoyancy. This enables it to quickly change depths over a wide vertical range, without overexpanding the swim bladder to cause positive buoyancy.