Variations in response to environmental hypoxia of different colour forms of the shore crab,Carcinus maenas

• 1.1. The oxygen consumption of red and green Carcinus in normoxic and hypoxic sea water was determined, using an oxygen electrode in a sealed respirometer.
• 2.2. The red crabs had significantly higher “excited” oxygen uptake rates and a lower ability to compensate for hypoxia than the green crabs.
• 3.3. Red Carcinus display an emersion response to declining oxygen at lower oxygen tensions than the green crabs.
• 4.4. Mortality of red crabs exposed to prolonged anoxia was much greater.
• 5.5. The relationship of these findings to the zonation of the two colour forms on the shore is discussed.

     

Aerial respiration in the semaphore crab,Heloecius cordiformis,with or without branchial water

• 1.1. Semaphore crabs (Heloecius cordiformis) are active in air at low tide. Their branchial chambers are lined with a vascular epithelium and are expanded above the gills (five pairs) to form air cavities which could function as lungs. Water is continuously circulated over the gills.
• 2.2. The relative contribution made by the gills and lungs to gas exchange in semaphore crabs active in air and circulating branchial water, was determined by measuring oxygen consumption (at 25°C) in crabs with and without branchial water, and in crabs with their lungs subsequently occluded.
• 3.3. Activity levels and VO₂ were unaffected by the absence of branchial water.
• 4.4. With their lungs occluded, VO₂ dropped (on average) by 61% in crabs with branchial water (i.e. gills still functional) and by 81% in crabs without branchial water (gill function impaired).
• 5.5. It is concluded that semaphore crabs are obligate air breathers while active on land, despite carrying water within their branchial chambers. Lung development and gill reduction in land crabs is discussed briefly in relation to “terrestriality”.

     

Laboratory studies on the oxygen consumption of the marine teleost,Lichia amia (Linnaeus, 1758)

• 1.1. The oxygen consumption of the marine teleost, Lichia amia was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions.
• 2.2. The routine oxygen consumption showed a strong circadian rhythm with the fish being mainly active during the light period.
• 3.3. The specific mass exponent (dimension: μg O₂/g/hr) is temperature independent and ranges from 0.27–0.29.
• 4.4. Starving the fish results in a mean decrease in active, routine and standard oxygen consumption of 21%, 24% and 20%, respectively.
• 5.5. Feecling led to an increase in the oxygen consumption of the teleosts, with the mean metabolic rate over the 24 hr that followed, being 58% and 50% higher for fish that had been starved for 162hr and 40 hr, respectively.
• 6.6. Apparent SDA showed some variation and ranged from 6.0 to 35.5%.
• 7.7. The results obtained are generally in agreement with those recorded for other teleosts.

     

Agaricus bisporus tyrosinase—II. Characterization of hydroxylase and dehydrogenase activities

• 1.1. Preparative Isoelectric focusing (PIEF) was used to isolate hydroxylasic and dehydrogenasic activities, at different pI.
• 2.2. The fraction at pI 4.7 and 4.9 displays a pure dehydrogenase activity (substrate l-DOPA).
• 3.3. This fraction did not react with tyrosine, either in the spot-test or in absorption spectra (200–620 nm), and did not exhibit any oxygen consumption.
• 4.4. The fraction at pI 4.1 and 4.3 reacted with both l-DOPA and tyrosine as substrate, showing dehydrogenase and hydroxylase activity.
• 5.5. The latter activity was confirmed by the oxygen consumption test, showing that molecular oxygen is used to ortho-hydroxylate tyrosine.

     

Measurements of oxygen consumption in Mytilus edulis during exposure to,and recovery from,high sublethal concentrations of formaldehyde,benzene and phenol

• 1.1. The rate of oxygen consumption has been monitored continuously in M. edulis during acute exposure to high sublethal concentrations of formaldehyde, phenol and benzene and subsequent recovery periods of 96 hr.
• 2.2. The results are discussed in relation to changes in the electrochemical potential difference of sodium, the content of ATP and the tissue concentration of strombine.
• 3.3. After exposure to benzene and phenol, an increase in the rate of oxygen consumption that could not be explained by oxygen debt from the exposure period was observed.
• 4.4. Depression of the rate of oxygen consumption after exposure to formaldehyde may be explained by a reduced ability to extract oxygen from the water.
• 5.5. The pattern of oxygen consumption and behavioural responses, as well as the combined changes in the biochemical markers, were distinctly different in the three cases.

     

Hydrodynamics of water flow in front of and through the gills of skipjack tuna

• 1.1. The structure of the gills of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is reviewed and the pattern of water flow in front of, and through, the gills is described. The tuna system is attractive for analysis of this type because water flow is continuous rather than pulsatile and the gill system is more rigid than that of other fish. In addition, oxygen uptake rates are the extreme case (i.e. highest values) for water-breathers.
• 2.2. Flow into the slits between the gill bars is rectilinear and nearly uniform, and therefore irrigation at the gill sieve should be nearly uniform.
• 3.3. Reynolds numbers are so low that turbulent flow is unlikely and entrance effects are negligible.

     

The effects of temperature and moisture on survival capacity,cuticular permeability,hemolymph osmoregulation and metabolism in the scorpion,Centruroides hentzi (banks) (scorpiones,buthidae)

• 1.1. The temperature and water relations of Centruroides hentzi females were investigated. At 12 and 72% relative humidity (RH), the lower and upper Lt₅₀ were -4.5 and 43.7°C, and -4.7 and 45.1°C, respectively. When exposed to high temperature stress, survivorship was significantly greater under mesic conditions.
• 2.2. Cuticular water loss was higher under xeric conditions (12% RH), ranging from 0.061 mg/cm²/hr at 30°C to 0.211 at 41°C.
• 3.3. Exposure to dry air (0–5% RH) resulted in a significant increase in hemolymph osmolality: from 441 to 688 mOsm over a 5 day period.
• 4.4. Mean oxygen consumption rates increased from 161.7 mm³/g/hr at 34°C to 541.6 at 44°C. ATPase activity was significantly higher in animals acclimated and tested at 35°C.

     

Seasonal variation in the energy metabolism in an estuarine crab,Chasmagnathus granulata (Dana, 1851)

• 1.1. The effects of seasonal variation on the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of the Chasmagnathus granulata were investigated.
• 2.2. Glycemia is high in winter and summer and low in spring and fall.
• 3.3. The glycogen content in the hepatopancreas and muscle is higher in fall and winter, and decreases during spring and summer.
• 4.4. The muscle lipids are higher in summer, and decrease during fall and winter whereas hepatopancreas lipids are higher except in the fall.
• 5.5. The crabs show change in the metabolic pattern of lipids and carbohydrates during the seasons of the year.

     

Metabolic responses of the mussels Perna viridis and Perna indica to declining oxygen tension at different salinities

• 1.1. Oxygen uptake and ammonia loss were monitored during responses to reductions of both salinity and oxygen tension (PO₂) in the marine mussels Perna viridis and Perna indica from southern India.
• 2.2. The proportional contribution of protein to total catabolic substrates under natural environmental conditions was as much as 96% in P. viridis, relative to only 19% in P. indica.
• 3.3. Normoxic oxygen consumption remained statistically unchanged in P. viridis conditioned to salinities between 32 and 15‰, with no obvious signs of distress. Although equally unaffected at salinities between 32 and 20‰, P. indica showed significantly reduced oxygen uptake following transfer from 32 to 15‰, and had died within the next 7 days.
• 4.4. At salinities greater than 20‰, P. viridis was better able than P. indica to regulate oxygen consumption independent of PO₂.
• 5.5. P. indica showed a compensatory increase in oxyregulatory capacity at 15‰. This exceeded unstressed abilities, helping to maintain albeit reduced oxygen uptake throughout wider ranges of PO₂.
• 6.6. Different responses recorded in each of these tropical and often intertidal species were in accordance with their natural distributions. Nevertheless, the oxyregulatory capacity in both species was higher than in bivalves from temperate and/or subtidally restricted habitats.

     

Lipid and carbohydrate metabolism of the intertidal crab Chasmagnathus granulata dana, 1851 (Crustacea: Decapoda) during emersion

• 1.1. Lipid, glucose and glycogen concentrations were measured in different tissues of the crab Chasmagnathus granulata during emersion.
• 2.2. After 6 hr of emersion no reduction in the total amount of carbohydrates was found to occur, suggesting that a general metabolic arrest was taking place.
• 3.3. A transitory increase in haemolymphatic glucose and lipid levels was observed. Possible causes are therefore discussed in relation to changes in the flux of substrates for energy production.
• 4.4. The mobilization of carbohydrates and lipids to the gills, observed only during summer, may be concerned with energy supplying for ionic regulation.

     

Activities of the three ammonia-forming enzymes in the tissues of the brackish-water bivalve Corbicula japonica

• 1.1. Activities of the three ammonia-forming enzymes, glutamate dehydrogenase, AMP deaminase and serine dehydrase (SerDH), were measured in tissues of gill, digestive diverticula, mantle and foot muscle of the brackish-water bivalve Corbicula japonica.
• 2.2. High levels of SerDH activity were detected in gill and digestive diverticula, while the activity levels of the other two enzymes were low.
• 3.3. The result suggests the significance of SerDH in amino acid degradation of this species.

     

Variations of respiratory rate of Tisbe holothuriae humes (copepoda,harpacticoida) in relation to temperature,salinity and food type

• 1.1. The influence of temperature (14,19, 24°C), salinity (26,32, 38,44%.) and food type (artificial diets: Fryfood, Mytilus, Soya, Yeast, Spirulina) on the respiratory rate of Tisbe holothuriae has been studied.
• 2.2. Oxygen consumption decreased with decreasing temperature, but with a greater rate at supra- or subnormal salinities.
• 3.3. Multiple-regression analysis showed the quadratic effect of temperature and the linear effect of salinity to be the more important factors affecting respiration.
• 4.4. The food type also seems to exert an important effect on oxygen consumption.
• 5.5. A significant lowering of respiration was observed for all food tested when the animals were starved.

     

Effect of ozone exposure on the compositions of gill and erythrocyte membrane lipids and proteins of Japanese charr (Salvelinus leucomaenis)

• 1.1. Compositions of lipids and proteins of erythrocytes (RBC) and gills from Japanese charr (Salvelinus leucomaenis) which were exposed to 0.4 and 0.7 ppm ozone for 30 min were compared with those of the control.
• 2.2. On exposure to ozone, both RBC and gill membrane phospholipid content, especially phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), dropped.
• 3.3. The decrease of PE was brought about by the decrease of docosahexaenoic acid content which comprised the major component of PE.
• 4.4. RBC membrane protein with 215 and 225 kDa, which is equivalent to cytoskeletal protein, selectively disappeared on exposure to ozone.

     

Carbohydrate metabolism during osmoregulation in Chasmagnathus granulata dana, 1851 (crustacea,decapoda)

• 1.1. Since glucose is one of the main energetic substrates for general metabolic processes in crustaceans, analysis of carbohydrate levels can furnish information on the energy metabolism of intact animals during osmoregulation.
• 2.2. Different groups of Chasmagnathus granulata were transferred to different salinities (0 and 40%), and the glucose and glycogen concentrations in blood, gills, muscle and hepatopancreas were determined at the beginning of the experiment and 24, 72, 168 and 360 hr after the salinity changes.
• 3.3. Differences in tissues carbohydrate levels were observed between summer and winter, that reflected differences in reserve mobilization.
• 4.4. In the summer, hypo- and hyperosmotic shocks induced an increase in carbohydrate levels in almost all tissues studied, indicating gluconeogenesis.
• 5.5. In the winter, a carbohydrate mobilization occurred only in the gills and hepatopancreas after both osmotic shocks.
• 6.6. Thus, the substrate reserve used for energy production required for osmoregulation seems to be dependent on the season and tissues.

     

The effect of time on physiological changes in eel Anguilla anguilla,induced by lindane

• 1.1. Eel were exposed to a sublethal concentration of lindane (0.335 ppm) for 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr.
• 2.2. Concentrations of glycogen, glucose, lactate, pyruvate and lipids were determined in gill tissue after lindane exposure.
• 3.3. Gill glycogen descreased and glucose levels increased at 6 hr of treatment, lactate and pyruvate concentration increased between 6 and 48 hr. Total lipid values decreased between 6 and 24 hr; thereafter, the levels increased up to 72 hr of exposure.
• 4.4. Clear changes were found in all parameters tested in gill tissues. The observed effects of lindane on metabolism in fish are discussed in relation to acute stress syndrome.

     

Specific dynamic action and feeding metabolism in common carp,Cyprinus carpio L.

• 1.1. Oxygen uptake attributable to Specific Dynamic Action (SDA) was measured in common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. (63.6–84.0 g) fed on 20, 35 and 50% dietary protein at 0.40 to 1.00% ration levels at 28°C.
• 2.2. After feeding both SDA magnitude and mean peak oxygen consumption increased directly with dietary protein and ration levels. SDA duration was not significantly related to dietary protein but significantly increased with ration levels.
• 3.3. SDA coefficients were 8.99, 13.51 and 15.94% with 20, 35 and 50% dietary protein showing a direction relationship to the protein content. The SDA coefficient did not change with ration size.
• 4.4. SDA models resulting from this work are of great interest for the aquaculturist, as post-feeding oxygen requirements in an intensive fish culture can be predicted where dietary protein and ration levels are known.

     

Contribution of aerobic and anaerobic scope to the total metabolic scope of the desert skink,Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal)

• 1.1. Measurements of aerobic scope (resting and active oxygen consumption rates) and anaerobic scope (resting and active production of lactate rates in the whole body homogenates) were carried out on the desert skink, Chalcides ocellatus at temperatures between 10 and 40°C.
• 2.2. The aerobic scope was maximal around the preferred body temperature with a low thermal temperature dependence above the preferred levels.
• 3.3. During initial stages of forced activity, C. ocellatus employed anaerobic metabolism as its major energy source.

     

The metabolic output of avian (Sturnus vulgaris,Calidris alpina) adipose tissue liver and skeletal muscle: Implications for BMR/body mass relationships

• 1.1. The oxygen uptake rate of avian adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle slices were measured.
• 2.2. The energy consumption of fat was less than one tenth that of liver and muscle.
• 3.3. Thus, interspecific allometric equations for the prediction of basal metabolic rate from body mass will not be accurate throughout the avian annual cycle unless changes in body composition are taken into account.

     

Specific dynamic action demonstrated in the herbivorous marine periwinkles,LIttorina littorea L. and Littorina obtusata L. (Mollusca,Gastropoda)

• 1.1. Respiration rates of starved periwinkles, Liltorina littorea and Littorina obtusata, increased by 40–60% when fed their preferred algal food for 1 hr, or after having been exposed for the same period to an aqueous extract of the alga.
• 2.2. The stimulus causing the rise in metabolic rate by algal extracts is therefore thought to be chemosensory in nature, and possibly composed primarily of dissolved free amino acids.
• 3.3. The respiration rates of L. littorea responded only to the green alga Enteromorpha intestinalis while L. obtusata demonstrated an increase in respiration rates when fed the ubiquitous brown alga, Ascophyllum nodosum, and to a lesser degree to Enteromorpha.
• 4.4. These results compare very well to postprandial increases in oxygen consumption demonstrated in vertebrates and marine bivalves where the components of specific dynamic action (SDA) are thought to be chiefly biosynthetic costs of digestion and assimilation.

     

Ion transport in crab gills: A new method using isolated half platelets of Eriocheir gills in an ussing-type chamber

• 1.1. A half platelet preparation from Chinese crab (Eriocheir sinensis) gill is described which allows electrophysiological investigations of ion transport by gill epithelial monolayer when mounted in a modified Ussing chamber.
• 2.2. The resistance of these preparations equals half that of complete gill platelets (containing the gill epithelium and cuticle twice) indicating that cell damage during preparation of half platelets is negligible.
• 3.3. The transepithelial resistance (resistance of cuticle subtracted previously) was determined to be about 140 Ω cm² when both sides are bathed with identical salines.
• 4.4. Similarities to the results obtained with perfused complete gills demonstrates the reliability of this preparation.
• 5.5. When identical salines are applied on both sides of the epithelium an outside positive transepithelial potential difference (PD_te) up to 40 mV was measured.
• 6.6. The occurrence of such a high PD_te under symmetric conditions and its sensitivity to CN⁻ suggests the PD_te to be generated by active transport processes.