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Thermal physiology of the common eelpout (Zoarces viviparus)

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Abstract

We investigated the temperature dependence of some physiological parameters of common eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) from different locations (North Sea, Baltic Sea and Norwegian Sea) on acclimation temperature (3 °C and 12 °C) and acute temperature variation. The lethal limit of 12 °C-acclimated eelpout was determined as the critical thermal maximum [loss of equilibrium (LE) and onset of muscular spasms (OS)] and it was found to be 26.6 °C for LE and 28.8 °C for OS for all populations. However, these parameters do not have any relevant ecological interpretation. We therefore investigated the effect of gradually increased water temperature on standard metabolic rate (measured as resting oxygen consumption Mo2) and critical oxygen concentration ([O2]c) of eelpouts. Acclimation to low temperature (3 °C) resulted in partial compensation of Mo2, paralleled by a decrease of activation energy for Mo2 (from 82 kJ mol–1 at 12 °C to about 50 kJ mol–1 at 3 °C) in North Sea and Baltic Sea eelpouts. At the same time, Norwegian eelpout showed no acclimation of oxygen demand to warm temperature (12 °C) at all. The scope for eelpout aerobic metabolism shrank considerably with increased acclimation temperature, as [O2]c approached water oxygen concentrations. At 22.5±1 °C the [O2]c reached air saturation, which is equivalent to the upper critical temperature (TcII) and at this temperature the aerobic scope for the metabolism completely disappeared. In line with previous insight, the comparative analysis of the temperature dependence of Mo2 of Z. viviparus from different populations suggests that a pejus (sub-critical) temperature for this species is about 13–15 °C. In conclusion, the capacity to adjust aerobic metabolism relates to thermal tolerance and the bio-geographical distribution of the species. Global warming would thus be likely to cause a shift in the distribution of this species to the North.

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Notes

  1. For information on the BEEP project, please see: http://beep.1ptc.u-bordeaux.fr/_WP4.asp

  2. For information on the ESB project, please see:http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/uba-info-daten-e/daten-e/umweltprobenbank-des-bundes.htm

  3. For information on the CLICOFI project, please see: http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/ECOLOGY/CLICOFI/

Abbreviations

CTMax :

critical thermal maximum

Fiv :

factor of inside volume

G T :

total oxygen conductance

LE :

loss of equilibrium

LT 50 :

time period of exposure when mortality reaches 50%

M O2 :

rate of oxygen consumption

M O2 o :

rate of oxygen consumption at 0 °C

[O 2 ] c :

critical oxygen concentration

OS :

onset of muscular spasms

Tc :

critical temperature

Tc ll :

upper critical temperature

Tp :

pejus temperature

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Acknowledgements

A contribution to the ELOISE project: Effect of climate induced temperature change on marine coastal fishes (CLICOFI), funded by the European Union program "Climate and environment", contract No. ENV4-CT97–0596. The experiments comply with the current laws of the Belgium and Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, University of Antwerp—RUCA, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium

    M. V. Zakhartsev, B. De Wachter & R. Blust

  2. Marine Biology/Ecological Physiology, Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany

    F. J. Sartoris & H. O. Pörtner

Authors
  1. M. V. Zakhartsev
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  2. B. De Wachter
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  3. F. J. Sartoris
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  4. H. O. Pörtner
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  5. R. Blust
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Correspondence to M. V. Zakhartsev.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier

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Zakhartsev, M.V., De Wachter, B., Sartoris, F.J. et al. Thermal physiology of the common eelpout (Zoarces viviparus). J Comp Physiol B 173, 365–378 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-003-0342-z

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