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Metabolic scaling: individual versus intraspecific scaling of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

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Abstract

We examined intraspecific scaling of the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under different culture conditions and further explored the allometric relationships between organ mass (heart, liver, brain, gills, viscera, and red muscles) and blood parameters (erythrocyte size and red blood cell counts) and body mass. Oreochromis niloticus were bred in individual and group cultures. The scaling exponent of the RMR in the individual cultures was b = 0.620–0.821 (n = 30) and that in the group culture was b = 0.770 [natural logarithm (ln) RMR = 0.770 ln M − 1.107 (n = 76)]. The results of the two experimental methods were similar and were not significantly different from 0.75 (3/4), as predicted by the metabolic theory of ecology. The active and inactive organs were scaled with body mass by an exponent of 0.940 and 1.012, respectively. There was no significant relationship between the blood parameters and body mass. These results suggest that the differences in the culture methods may not have affected the allometric scaling of O. niloticus metabolism. The proportion of active and inactive organs contributed to allometric changes in the metabolic rate with body mass. Red blood cells in fish are not generally representative, and cell size can only partially explain the allometric scaling of metabolism.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Start-up Research Grant from Qinzhou University (No. 2017KYQD107), the Research Funds Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation (No. 2018ZB03), the Project of Basic Ability Improvement of Young and Middle-aged Teachers of Universities in Guangxi (No. 2018KY0623), and the Research Funds Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation (No. 2019ZB03).

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  1. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Ocean College, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, China

    Xiurong Ye, Lili Lu, Meijun Jiang, Jiuman Jia, Weifeng Li, Haiping Wu, Yongyan Liao & Jian Li

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  1. Xiurong Ye
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  2. Lili Lu
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Correspondence to Jian Li.

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Ye, X., Lu, L., Jiang, M. et al. Metabolic scaling: individual versus intraspecific scaling of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). J Comp Physiol B 191, 721–729 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-021-01376-8

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