Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2021
Energetic savings and cardiovascular dynamics of a marine euryhaline fish (Myoxocephalus scorpius) in reduced salinity
Sundell, Erika; Morgenroth, Daniel; Ekstrom, Andreas; Brijs, Jeroen; Axelsson, Michael; Grans, Albin; Sandblom, ErikAbstract
Few studies have addressed how reduced water salinity affects cardiovascular and metabolic function in marine euryhaline fishes, despite its relevance for predicting impacts of natural salinity variations and ongoing climate change on marine fish populations. Here, shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) were subjected to different durations of reduced water salinity from 33 to 15 ppt. Routine metabolic rate decreased after short-term acclimation (4-9 days) to 15 ppt, which corresponded with similar reductions in cardiac output. Likewise, standard metabolic rate decreased after acute transition (3 h) from 33 to 15 ppt, suggesting a reduced energetic cost of osmoregulation at 15 ppt. Interestingly, gut blood flow remained unchanged across salinities, which contrasts with previous findings in freshwater euryhaline teleosts (e.g., rainbow trout) exposed to different salinities. Although plasma osmolality, [Na+], [Cl-] and [Ca2+] decreased in 15 ppt, there were no signs of cellular osmotic stress as plasma [K+], [hemoglobin] and hematocrit remained unchanged. Taken together, our data suggest that shorthorn sculpin are relatively weak plasma osmoregulators that apply a strategy whereby epithelial ion transport mechanisms are partially maintained across salinities, while plasma composition is allowed to fluctuate within certain ranges. This may have energetic benefits in environments where salinity naturally fluctuates, and could provide shorthorn sculpin with competitive advantages if salinity fluctuations intensify with climate change in the future.Keywords
Cardiovascular; Metabolic rate; Marine; Euryhaline; Salinity variabilityPublished in
Journal of Comparative Physiology B2021, volume: 191, number: 2, pages: 301–311
Publisher: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
Authors' information
Sundell, Erika
University of Gothenburg
Morgenroth, Daniel
University of Gothenburg
Ekstrom, Andreas
University of Gothenburg
Brijs, Jeroen
University of Hawaii Manoa
Axelsson, Michael
University of Gothenburg
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Environment and Health
Sandblom, Erik
University of Gothenburg
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG14 Life below water
SDG13 Climate action
UKÄ Subject classification
Fish and Aquacultural Science
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-020-01336-8
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/110668