Swimming performance, oxygen consumption and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption in adult transgenic and ocean-ranched coho salmon

Routine oxygen consumption ( M o ₂) was 35% higher in 1 day starved and 21% higher in 4 day starved adult transgenic coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch relative to end of migration ocean-ranched coho salmon. Critical swimming speed ( U _crit) and M o ₂ at U _crit ( M o _2max) were significantly lower in 4 day starved transgenic coho salmon (1·25 BL s⁻¹; 8·79 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ min⁻¹) compared to ocean-ranched coho salmon (1·60 BL s⁻¹; 9·87 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ min⁻¹). Transgenic fish swam energetically less efficiently than ocean-ranched fish, as indicated by a poorer swimming economy at U _crit ( M o _2max     ). Although M o _2max was lower in transgenic coho salmon, the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) measured during the first 20 min of recovery was significantly larger in transgenic coho salmon (44·1 mg O₂ kg⁻¹) compared with ocean-ranched coho salmon (34·2 mg O₂ kg⁻¹), which had a faster rate of recovery.     

Field-based measurements of oxygen uptake and swimming performance with adult Pacific salmon using a mobile respirometer swim tunnel

Novel field measurements of critical swimming speed ( U _crit) and oxygen uptake (  M o₂) in three species of adult Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. up to 3·5 kg in body mass were made using two newly designed, mobile Brett-type swim tunnel respirometers sited at a number of field locations in British Columbia, Canada. Measurements of U _crit, which ranged from 1· 68 to 2·17 body lengths s⁻¹, and maximum M o₂, which ranged from 8·74 to 12·63 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ depending on the species and field location, were judged to be of similar quality when compared with available data for laboratory-based studies. Therefore high quality respirometry studies were possible in the field using adult wild swimming salmonids. In addition, the recovery of wild adult Pacific salmon from the exhaustive U _crit swim test was sufficiently rapid that swimming performance could be repeated with <1 h of recovery time between the termination of the initial swim test and the start of the second test. Moreover, this repeat swimming performance was possible without routine M o₂ being reestablished. This result suggests that wild adult salmon are capable of carrying a moderate excess post-exercise oxygen consumption without adversely affecting U _crit, maximum M o₂ or swimming economy. Such capabilities may be extremely important for timely migratory passages when salmonids face repetitive hydraulic challenges on their upstream migration.     

Effect of feeding level and feeding frequency on specific dynamic action in Silurus meridionalis

The effect of feeding level ( F _L; 0·5 to 4% dry diet mass per wet fish body mass) and feeding frequency (once every 4 days to twice per day) on postprandial metabolic response was investigated in southern catfish Silurus meridionalis at 27·5° C. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the specific dynamic action (SDA) coefficient among the groups of different feeding levels ( P  > 0·05). The duration increased from 26·0 to 40·0 h and the peak metabolic rate increased from 207·8 to 378·8 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ when the feeding level was increased from 0·5 to 4%. The relationship between the peak metabolic rate ( R _P, mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹) and F _L could be described as: R _P = 175·4 + 47·3 F _L( r ² = 0·943, n  = 40, P  < 0·001). The relationship between the SDA duration ( D , h) and F _L could be described as D =30·97 F _L^0·248 ( r ²=0·729, n =40, P  < 0·001).     

Impact of clay particles on the cutaneous exchange of oxygen across the chorion of Atlantic salmon eggs

Rates of oxygen consumption for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar embryos approaching hatching were determined. Values were recorded using a 'closed system' experimental set‐up. A magnetic stirrer was used to ensure that zones of oxygen depletion did not develop in the micro‐environment surrounding the respiring eggs. Recorded values of oxygen consumption ranged from 0·0024 to 0·0038 mg O₂ egg⁻¹ h⁻¹, with a mean consumption rate of 0·0032 mg O₂ egg⁻¹ h⁻¹. The values of oxygen consumption were similar to those reported in other studies using a closed system experimental set‐up, however, they were lower than those reported in a study adopting a flow‐through system. The introduction of clay‐sized sediment to the incubation chamber created a thin film (<1 mm) of sediment on the egg surface, and resulted in reduced rates of oxygen consumption. The additional 0·3 g of clay sediment reduced oxygen consumption by an average of 41% and the addition of a further 0·2 g of clay sediment reduced consumption by an average of 98%. Two explanations for the recorded reduction in consumption were proposed: (i) the creation of a low permeability seal around the eggs restricted the availability of oxygen to the incubating embryos and (ii) the clay‐sized fine sediment physically blocked the micro‐pore canals in the egg membrane, thereby restricting oxygen uptake.     

Effects of regulated discharge on burbot migration

Burbot Lota lota movement and river discharge were studied in the Kootenai River, Idaho, U.S.A. and British Columbia, Canada, downstream of Libby Dam, Montana, U.S.A. A total of 24 adult burbot with transmitters were tracked from 1994 to 2000, for analysis of a travel distance of ≥5 km in ≤10 days termed 'stepwise movement'. Of 44 'stepwise movements', significantly greater movements during pre‐spawning and spawning were observed when average daily discharges from Libby Dam were <300 m³ s⁻¹, with a mean of 176 m³ s⁻¹, similar to pre‐dam conditions. Burbot travelled at a greater rate during all seasons (3·36 km day⁻¹) at discharges >300 m³ s⁻¹(mean = 1·84 km day⁻¹) than at discharges >300 m³ s⁻¹ but no difference was found for the pre‐spawning and spawning period. Burbot that started 'stepwise movements' in low discharge conditions frequently stopped during low discharges.     

Effects of temperature, body size and feeding on rates of metabolism in young‐of‐the‐year haddock

The mean rate of oxygen consumption (routine respiration rate, R _R, mg O₂ fish⁻¹ h⁻¹), measured for individual or small groups of haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus (3–12 cm standard length, L _S) maintained for 5 days within flow‐through respiratory chambers at four different temperatures, increased with increasing dry mass ( M _D). The relationship between R _R and M _D was allometric ( R _R = α  M ^b ) with b values of 0·631, 0·606, 0·655 and 0·650 at 5·0, 8·0, 12·0 and 15·0° C, respectively. The effect of temperature ( T ) and M _D on mean R _R was described by     indicating a Q ₁₀ of 2·27 between 5 and 15° C. Juvenile haddock routine metabolic scope, calculated as the ratio of the mean of highest and lowest deciles of R _R measured in each chamber, significantly decreased with temperature such that the routine scope at 15° C was half that at 5° C. The cost of feeding ( R _SDA) was c . 3% of consumed food energy, a value half that found for larger gadoid juveniles and adults.     

Individual variation in the rate of oxygen consumption by zebrafish embryos

A sensitive microsensor‐based method was used to measure oxygen consumption of individual zebrafish Danio rerio embryos at 6 h intervals from 24 to 75 h post‐fertilization. An increase in oxygen consumption rates from 4·54 to 8·29 nmol O₂ h⁻¹ was found during this period. At the individual level the differences in oxygen consumption rates caused the total oxygen consumption from 24 to 75 h post‐fertilization to vary between 0·261 and 0·462 μmol O₂ per individual with a mean of 0·379 μmol O₂ per individual. A separate carbon mass balance study corroborated the mean total oxygen consumption obtained by yielding a respiratory quotient of 0·80 for this period. These results suggest that there is significant intraspecific variation in the metabolic rate of developing zebrafish embryos, which may influence other early life‐history traits such as growth and starvation resistance.     

The effect of temperature and acclimation period on repeat swimming performance in cutthroat trout

Hatchery cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki clarki were used to examine the effects of 48 h and 3 week temperature acclimation periods on critical swimming speed ( U _crit). The U _crit was determined for fish at acclimation temperatures of 7, 14 and 18° C using two consecutive ramp‐ U _crit tests in mobile Brett‐type swim tunnels. An additional group was tested at the stock's ambient rearing temperature of 10° C. The length of the temperature acclimation period had no significant effect on either the first or the second U _crit( U _crit‐1 and U _crit‐2, respectively) or on the recovery ratio (the quotient of U _crit‐2  U _crit‐1⁻¹). As anticipated, there was a significant positive relationship between U _crit‐1 and temperature ( P  < 0·01) for both acclimation periods, and an increasing, though non‐significant, trend between U _crit‐2 and temperature ( P  = 0·10). Acclimation temperature had no significant effect ( P  = 0·71) on the recovery ratio. These results indicate that a 48 h acclimation to experimental temperatures within the range of −3 to +8° C of the acclimation temperature may be sufficient in studies of swimming performance with this species. This ability to acclimate rapidly is probably adaptive for cutthroat trout and other species that occupy thermally variable environments.     

Cardiorespiratory status of triploid brown trout during swimming at two acclimation temperatures

At 14° C, standard metabolic rate (75·1 mg O₂ h⁻¹ kg⁻¹), routine metabolic rate (108.8 mg O₂ h⁻¹ kg⁻¹), active metabolic rate ( c . 380 mg O₂ h⁻¹ kg⁻¹), critical swimming speed (U_crit 1·7 BL s⁻¹), heart rate 47 min⁻¹), dorsal aortic pressure (3·2 kPa) and ventilation frequency (63 min⁻¹) for triploid brown trout Salmo trutta were within the ranges reported for diploid brown trout and other salmonids at the same temperature. During prolonged swimming ( c . 80% U _crit), cardiac output increased by 2·3-fold due to increases in heart rate (1·8-fold) and stroke volume (1·2-fold). At 18° C, although standard and routine metabolic rates, as well as resting heart rate and ventilation frequency increased significantly, active metabolic rate and certain cardiorespiratory variables during exercise did not differ from those values for fish acclimated to 14° C. As a result, factorial metabolic scope was reduced (2·93-fold at 18° C v . 5·13-fold at 14° C). Therefore, it is concluded that cardiorespiratory performance in triploid brown trout was not unusual at 18° C, but that reduced factorial metabolic scope may be a contributing factor to the mortality observed in triploid brown trout at temperatures near 18° C.     

Stimulation of biomethanation by Clostridium sp. PXYL1 in coculture with a Methanosarcina strain PMET1 at psychrophilic temperatures

Aim:  Bioaugumentation of low temperature biogas production was attempted by addition of cold-adapted Clostridium and a methanogen.
Methods and Results:  A psychrotrophic xylanolytic acetogenic strain Clostridium sp. PXYL1 growing optimally at 20°C and pH 5·3 and a Methanosarcina strain, PMET1, growing optimally on acetate and producing methane at 15°C were isolated from a cattle manure digester. Anaerobic conversion of xylose at 15°C with the coculture of the two strains was performed, and batch culture methane production characteristics indicated that methanogenesis occurred via acetate through 'acetoclastic' pathway. Stimulation studies were also undertaken to evaluate the effect of exogenous addition of the coculture on biogas yields at 15°C. Addition of 3 ml of PXYL1 at the rate of 12 × 10² CFU ml⁻¹ increased the biogas 1·7-fold (33 l per kg cowdung) when compared to control (19·3 l per kg cowdung) as well as increased the volatile fatty acid (VFA) levels to 3210 mg l⁻¹ when compared to 1140 mg l⁻¹ in controls. Exogenous of addition of 10 ml PMET1 inoculum at the rate of 6·8 ± 10² CFU ml⁻¹ in addition to PXYL1 served to further improve the biogas yields to 46 l kg⁻¹ as well as significantly brought down the VFA levels to 1350 mg l⁻¹.
Conclusions:  Our results suggest that the rate-limiting methanogenic step at low temperatures could be overcome and that biogas yields improved by manipulating the population of the acetoclastic methanogens.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Stimulation of biomethanation at low temperature by coculture.     

Seasonal differences in routine oxygen consumption rates of the bonnethead shark

Routine oxygen consumption rates of bonnethead sharks, Sphyrna tiburo , increased from 141·3±29·7 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ during autumn to 218·6±64·2 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ during spring, and 329·7±38·3 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ during summer. The rate of routine oxygen consumption increased over the entire seasonal temperature range (20–30° C) at a Q ₁₀=2·34.     

Energetics and morphology of sockeye salmon: effects of upriver migratory distance and elevation

Depending on population, wild Fraser River sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka travel distances of <100 km to >1100 km and ascend elevations ranging from near sea‐level to 1200 m to reach spawning areas. Populations embarking on distant, high elevation migrations ( i.e . Early Stuart, Chilko and Horsefly populations) began their upriver spawning migrations with higher densities of somatic energy ( c . 9·2 to 9·8 MJ kg⁻¹) and fewer eggs ( c . 3200 to 3800) than populations making shorter, low elevation migrations ( i.e . Weaver and Adams; c . 7·1 to 8·3 MJ kg⁻¹ gross somatic energy and c . 4300 to 4700 eggs). Populations making difficult upriver migrations also had morphologies that were smaller and more fusiform than populations making less difficult migrations, traits that may facilitate somatic energy conservation by reducing transport costs. Indeed, fish travelling long distances expended less somatic energy per unit of migratory difficulty than those travelling shorter distances (2·8 to 3·8 kJ v . 10–1400 kJ). Consistent with evolutionary theory, difficult migrations appear to select for energy efficiency but ultimately fish making more difficult migrations produce fewer eggs, even when differences in body length have been accounted for. Despite large among‐population differences in somatic energy at the start of upriver migration, all populations completed migration and spawning, and subsequently died, with c . 4 MJ kg⁻¹ of energy remaining, a level which may reflect a threshold to sustain life.     

Short‐term freshwater exposure benefits sea lice‐infected Atlantic salmon

Atlantic salmon Salmo salar were infected with sea lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis (0·08 ± 0·007 sea lice g⁻¹) over a period of 4 h. Both infected and non‐infected fish were swim tested in sea water (SW) and fresh water (FW). The ventral aorta of each fish was fitted with a Doppler cuff in order to measure cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate during swim testing. Blood samples were taken at rest and after exercise. Critical swimming speed of infected fish in SW (2·14 ± 0·08 body lengths, bl s⁻¹) was significantly lower ( P  < 0·05) than infected fish switched to FW (2·81 ± 0·08 bl s⁻¹) and non‐infected fish in SW (2·42 ± 0·04 bl s⁻¹) and FW (2·61 ± 0·08 bl s⁻¹). Cardiac and blood results indicated infected fish exposed to FW did experience stress, but relief from osmotic and ionic distress probably reduces energy expenditure, allowing the increase in performance. As the performance of sea lice‐infected fish improved upon transfer to FW, it is likely that heavily infected salmonids do return to FW to restore compromised osmotic and ionic balance, and remove sea lice in the process.     

Water‐based measurement of rainbow trout melatonin

Melatonin (MLT) was isolated from water samples using solid phase extraction cartridges and measured by radioimmunoassay. In tanks of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss , concentrations of MLT in water increased rapidly from <0·1 ng l⁻¹ in the light phase to 0·7 ng l⁻¹ in the dark giving calculated release rates of <1 ng kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ and 15 ng kg⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. This cycle in water MLT values corresponds to reported changes in plasma MLT concentrations. The colour of the tanks and a daytime acute handling stress did not affect concentrations of MLT in either the light or dark phase.     

The angle of attack of the body of common bream while swimming at different speeds in a flume tank

The body attack angle of common bream Abramis brama varied with swimming speed and was best described by θ = −3·32 (±0·24) − 9·23 (±0·54)e^{− u} ( r ² = 0·56, P  < 0·0001; ±1 s . e . given in parentheses), where θ is the body attack angle and u is swimming speed. The hypothesis that neutrally buoyant fishes may swim with body attack angles deviating increasingly from 0° as the swimming speed decreases is supported.     

Swimming performance and metabolism of 0+ year Thymallus arcticus

The prolonged swimming speed and metabolic rate of 0+ year Arctic grayling Thymallus articus were examined with respect to current velocity, water temperature and fish size, and compared to conditions fish occupy in the river. Oxygen consumption (mg O₂ h⁻¹) increased with fish mass and temperature (6–23° C), with a steep increase in metabolic rate between 12 and 16° C. Absolute prolonged swimming speed (cm s⁻¹) increased rapidly with fish size (total length, L _T, and mass), however, fish in the natural stream habitat occupied current velocities between 15 and 25 cm s⁻¹ or 4  L _T s⁻¹, approximately half their potential prolonged swimming speed (10  L _T s⁻¹).     

Impact of temperature on food intake and growth in juvenile burbot

The effect of temperature on food consumption, food conversion and somatic growth was investigated with juvenile burbot Lota lota (age 0 years). Juvenile burbot showed a significant dome shaped relationship between relative daily food consumption ( C _R) and temperature ( T ) with C _R = − 0·00044 T ² + 0·01583 T  − 0·06010; ( n  = 90, r ² = 0·61). Maximum C _R was at 17·9° C (95% CL 17·2–18·6° C). The temperature related instantaneous growth rate ( G ) also followed a dome shaped function with G  = − 0·000063 T ² + 0·002010 T  − 0·007462; ( n  = 95, r ² = 0·57), with maximum growth rate at 16·0° C (95% CL 15·3–16·6° C). A significant linear relationship was found between the water temperature and the conversion coefficient ( C _C) with C _C = − 1·63 T  + 59·04; ( n  = 80, r ² = 0·74). The results indicate that juvenile burbot in large lakes benefit from higher water temperatures in the littoral zone, by increased food uptake and growth, especially during the warm summer months. Because profundal water temperatures do not reflect the optimal temperature for food consumption in large burbot, temperature is unlikely to be the main proximate factor for the obligate littoral‐profundal migration of juvenile burbot observed in many lake populations.     

Effect of increased flow on the behaviour of Atlantic salmon parr in winter

The effect of increased flow on movement and microhabitat use of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr in winter was investigated using radiotelemetry. To simulate hydropeaking operations, flow was increased four‐fold from 1·3 m³ s⁻¹ to 5·2 m³ s⁻¹ for 24 h periods. Flow did not affect fish habitat use or displacement and had little effect on fish activity within diel periods. During high flow periods in late winter, fish reduced night‐time activity. Stranding rates during flow reduction were also very low (only one fish).     

Respiration of steelhead trout sperm: sensitivity to pH and carbon dioxide

Steelhead trout Oncorhynchus mykiss sperm held in seminal plasma or sperm-immobilizing buffer (pH 8·6) at 10° C consumed O₂ at the rate of c . 2 nmol O₂ min⁻¹ 10⁻⁹ sperm; the rate of O₂ consumption was not different in sperm held for 4 or 24 h. Decreasing the extracellular pH from 8·5 to 7·5 either by diluting semen with buffer titrated with HCl or by increasing the partial pressure of CO₂ in the incubation atmosphere resulted in c . a 40% decrease in the rate of sperm respiration. The data did not, however, support the hypothesis that the precipitous reduction in the capacity for sperm motility that occurs as external pH is reduced is a result of a decrease in cellular metabolism. The rate of O₂ consumption of freshly collected semen from different males was not correlated to cellular ATP content or to the proportion of sperm that were motile upon activation; the initial ATP content and sperm motility were positively correlated. The rate of O₂ consumption was not significantly increased following sperm activation or by the addition of an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, carbonyl cyanide p -trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, suggesting that these sperm have little, if any, capacity for increased oxidative metabolism.     

Characterization of the cortisol response following an acute challenge with lipopolysaccharide in yellow perch and the influence of rearing density

Two experiments were performed to characterize the corticosteroid response of yellow perch Perca flavescens following an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and determine if sustained differences in rearing density alter this response. In the first experiment, yellow perch were injected with LPS (3 mg kg⁻¹), saline, or handled without receiving any injection. Concentrations of cortisol in plasma were elevated in all groups relative to non‐disturbed fish at 1·5 and 3 h after handling but by 6 h after injection the mean concentration of cortisol in plasma from LPS‐injected yellow perch were three to five times higher than fish before injection and significantly larger than groups of fish not treated with LPS. In the second test, yellow perch were held at different rearing densities (9 v . 18-19 kg m⁻³) for 3, 7 and 14 days before injection with LPS (3 mg kg⁻¹). The cortisol response of yellow perch following LPS injection of fish held for 14 days at high density was significantly lower than that of fish held at the low density for the same duration. Additionally a trend of a decreased cortisol response to LPS injection as duration of holding increased was observed among fish held at high density relative to fish held at low density. These data illustrate that the corticosteroid response of yellow perch following LPS injection is distinct from handling alone and that the magnitude of the response is impacted by rearing density.