Document Detail


Effects of temperature on sustained swimming performance and swimming kinematics of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11916992     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The effects of a 6 degrees C difference in water temperature on maximum sustained swimming speed, swimming energetics and swimming kinematics were measured in the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus (Teleostei: Scombridae), a primarily coastal, pelagic predator that inhabits subtropical and temperate transition waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. New data for chub mackerel acclimated to 18 degrees C are compared with published data from our laboratory at 24 degrees C. Twelve individuals acclimated to each of two temperatures (15.6-26.3 cm fork length, FL, and 34-179 g at 18 degrees C; 14.0-24.7 cm FL and 26-156 g at 24 degrees C) swam at a range of speeds in a temperature-controlled Brett-type respirometer, at the respective acclimation temperature. At a given fish size, the maximum speed that S. japonicus was able to maintain for a 30-min period, while swimming steadily using slow, oxidative locomotor muscle (U(max,c)), was significantly greater at 24 than at 18 degrees C (52.5-97.5 cm s(-1) at 18 degrees C and 70-120 cm s(-1) at 24 degrees C). At a given speed and fish size, the rate of oxygen consumption (VO(2)) was significantly higher at 24 than at 18 degrees C because of a higher net cost of transport (1073-4617 J km(-1) kg(-1) at 18 degrees C and 2708-14895 J km(-1) kg(-1) at 24 degrees C). Standard metabolic rate, calculated by extrapolating the logO(2) versus swimming speed relationship to zero speed, did not vary significantly with temperature or fish mass (126.4+/-67.2 mg O(2) h(-1) kg(-1) at 18 degrees C and 143.2+/-80.3 mg O(2) h(-1) kg(-1) at 24 degrees C; means +/- S.D., N=12). Swimming kinematics was quantified from high-speed (120 Hz) video recordings analyzed with a computerized, two-dimensional motion-analysis system. At a given speed and fish size, there were no significant effects of temperature on tail-beat frequency, tail-beat amplitude or stride length, but propulsive wavelength increased significantly with temperature as a result of an increase in propulsive wave velocity. Thus, the main effects of temperature on chub mackerel swimming were increases in both U(max,c) and the net cost of swimming at 24 degrees C. Like other fishes, S. japonicus apparently must recruit more slow, oxidative muscle fibers to swim at a given sustainable speed at the lower temperature because of the reduced power output. Thus, the 24 degrees C mackerel reach a higher speed before they must recruit the fast, glycolytic fibers, thereby increasing U(max,c) at 24 degrees C. By quantifying in vivo the effects of temperature on the swimming performance of an ectothermic species that is closely related to the endothermic tunas, this study also provides evidence that maintaining the temperature of the slow, oxidative locomotor muscle at 6 degrees C or more above ambient water temperature in tunas should significantly increase sustainable swimming speeds, but also increase the energetic cost of swimming, unless cardiac output limits muscle performance.
Authors:
Kathryn A Dickson; Jeanine M Donley; Chugey Sepulveda; Lisa Bhoopat
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of experimental biology     Volume:  205     ISSN:  0022-0949     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Exp. Biol.     Publication Date:  2002 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-03-27     Completed Date:  2002-11-25     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0243705     Medline TA:  J Exp Biol     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  969-80     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Science, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA. kdickson@fullerton.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Biomechanics
Motor Activity / physiology
Oxygen Consumption / physiology
Perciformes / physiology*
Regression Analysis
Swimming / physiology*,  statistics & numerical data
Temperature
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R25GM56820/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS; S06GM08258/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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