The effects of acute hypoxia and hypercapnia on oxygen consumption of the freshwater European eel

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Cruz‐Neto, A. P., Steffensen, J. F.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1997
• Subjects: Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01970.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1997.tb01970.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01970.x

When exposed to hypoxia, eels Anguilla anguilla were able to regulate and maintain Vo 2 down to a water oxygen tension ( Pwo 2 ) of about 25 mmHg, a value far below those reported in other studies. When exposed to hypercapnia, eels showed a depression in Vo 2 as water carbon dioxide tension ( Pwco 2 ) increased. Faced with combined hypoxia‐hypercapnia, eels showed an increase in their sensitivity to hypoxia, and the critical oxygen tension increased to 40–45 mmHg. The possible mechanisms underlying these responses were discussed, and the implications of such findings for extensive culture of eels were highlighted.