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Swimming Performance Assessment in Fishes
Published on: May 20, 2011
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Post-exercise respirometry underestimates maximum metabolic rate in juvenile salmon
Graham D Raby1, Claire L J Doherty1, Ali Mokdad1
1Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada.
Conservation Physiology
|August 6, 2021
Summary
The chase method underestimates fish maximum metabolic rate (MMR) by about 20% compared to the swim tunnel method. This difference is consistent across temperatures and body sizes in salmonids, suggesting the chase method can be a useful proxy with calibration.
Area of Science:
- Physiological Ecology
- Fish Biology
- Metabolic Physiology
Background:
- Maximum metabolic rate (MMR) is crucial for understanding fish ecology and evolution.
- Estimating MMR commonly uses the chase method or swim tunnel method, with varying results.
- Previous studies suggest swim tunnels yield higher MMR estimates than chase methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare MMR estimates derived from the chase method versus the swim tunnel method in salmonids.
- To determine if temperature or body mass influence the discrepancy between the two MMR estimation methods.
- To assess the suitability of the chase method as a proxy for MMR.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 134 MMR estimates on Atlantic and Chinook salmon juveniles.
- Employed a 3-min exhaustive chase followed by static respirometry.
- Utilized a swim tunnel respirometer for maximal swimming measurements.
- Tested across a 6°C temperature range (approx. 15-21°C) and body masses (53.5-236 g).
Main Results:
- The chase method underestimated MMR by approximately 20% compared to the swim tunnel method.
- This underestimation was not significantly affected by temperature or body mass within the tested ranges.
- Results align with prior research indicating higher MMR estimates from swim tunnels for athletic fish.
Conclusions:
- The swim tunnel method provides higher MMR estimates than the chase method in salmonids.
- The chase method can serve as a reliable proxy for MMR if species-specific calibration is performed.
- Future studies should consider calibration for accurate MMR estimations using the chase method across relevant environmental variables.
