The effect of thermal shock during diel vertical migration on the energy required for oceanic migration of the European silver eel

• Published in: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
• Main Authors: Trancart, Thomas, Tudorache, C., van den Thillart, G.E.E.J.M., Acou, A., Carpentier, A, Boinet, C., Gouchet, G, Feunteun, E.
• Other Authors: Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN), Institute Biology Leiden (IBL), Universiteit Leiden Leiden, Biodiversité et gestion des territoires EA 7316
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2015
• Subjects: Anguilla anguilla; Conservation physiology; Oxygen consumption; Swimming respirometry; Swimming tunnels; [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology
• Online Access: https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01154596; https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01154596/document; https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01154596/file/Effect%20of%20thermal%20shock_accepted.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2014.12.004

International audience Recently, diel vertical migration (DVM) was observed in European silver eels (Anguilla anguilla) migrating towards the Sargasso Sea. However, because European silver eels do not feed during this migration, their energy consumption requires accurate optimization due to their limited fat reserves. In this study, changes in water temperature were experimentally induced to simulate those experienced by silver eels during DVMs to estimate their effect on oxygen consumption (MO2). Therefore, the oxygen consumption of eels at 8°C (deep waters) and 14°C (surface waters) was measured, and the effect of rapid thermal changes (shocks) from 8°C to 14°C, simulating ascent, and from 14°C to 8°C, simulating descent, both movements mimicking DVMs, were assessed. Firstly, a single thermal shock induced an increase in MO2 in both sexes at both temperatures.