Aerobic capacities and swimming performance of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) under ocean acidification and warming conditions

• Published in: Journal of Experimental Biology
• Main Authors: Kunz, Kristina Lore, Claireaux, Guy, Poertner, Hans-Otto, Knust, Rainer, Mark, Felix Christopher
• Other Authors: Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), Universität Bremen, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: ACL; atlantic cod; Climate change; Aerobic scope; dicentrarchus-labrax; european sea bass; arctic cod; exhaustive exercise; Gadids; gadus-morhua l; Hypercapnia; metabolic cold adaptation; rcp8.5; respiratory metabolism; thermal tolerance; envir; geo; Arctic; Arctic cod; Boreogadus saida; Gadus morhua; Ocean acidification; polar cod
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.184473; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02626091/file/Kunz_etal_JoEB_2018.pdf; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02626091

WOS:000449824800014 International audience Polar cod (Boreogadus saida) is an important prey species in the Arctic ecosystem, yet its habitat is changing rapidly: climate change, through rising seawater temperatures and CO2 concentrations, is projected to be most pronounced in Arctic waters. This study aimed to investigate the influence of ocean acidification and warming on maximum performance parameters of B. saida as indicators for the species' acclimation capacities under environmental conditions projected for the end of this century. After 4 months at four acclimation temperatures (0, 3, 6, 8 degrees C) each combined with two P-CO2 levels (390 and 1170 mu atm), aerobic capacities and swimming performance of B. saida were recorded following a U-crit protocol. At both CO2 levels, standard metabolic rate (SMR) was elevated at the highest acclimation temperature indicating thermal limitations. Maximum metabolic rate (MMR) increased continuously with temperature, suggesting an optimum temperature for aerobic scope for exercise (AS(ex)) at 6 degrees C. Aerobic swimming performance (U-gait) increased with acclimation temperature irrespective of CO2 levels, while critical swimming speed (U-crit) did not reveal any clear trend with temperature. Hypercapnia evoked an increase in MMR (and thereby AS(ex)). However, swimming performance (both U-gait and U-crit) was impaired under elevated nearfuture P-CO2 conditions, indicating reduced efficiencies of oxygen turnover. The contribution of anaerobic metabolism to swimming performance was very low overall, and further reduced under hypercapnia. Our results revealed high sensitivities of maximum performance parameters (MMR, U-gait, U-crit) of B. saida to ocean acidification. Impaired swimming capacity under ocean acidification may reflect reduced future competitive strength of B. saida.