Abstract

Marine fish live in a complex, although for most species rather stable environment. However, changes in pH, salinity, and oxygen availability are of concern for the migratory and estuarine fish and pollutants may affect marine fish populations exposed to industrial waste water. In these situations the fish may be exposed to various types of “stress” (stress stimuli) such as hypoxia, physical damage, changes in temperature and salinity or, in some cases, pollutants (see Fig. 1). Such stimuli produce physiological changes in the animal (stress response), including an increased sympathico-adrenal activity which leads to increased plasma levels of catecholamines and also release of corticosteroids (Fig. 1). The stress response induced by short-term exposure to stress includes the various types of defence reactions (cf. Cannon 1929), which allow the animal maintain homeostasis in the new environment, or to move away from the stressful stimulus.

Keywords

Fish gills, stress, pollutants

Published in

Title: Toxine, Drugs and Pollutants in Marine Animals
ISBN: 9783642699054, eISBN: 978-3-642-69903-0
Publisher: Springer Verlag

SLU Authors

• Kiessling, Anders

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • No organisation

UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69903-0_9

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80498