P. Sebert et al., EFFECTS OF A TEMPERATURE INCREASE ON OXYGEN-CONSUMPTION OF YELLOW FRESH-WATER EELS EXPOSED TO HIGH HYDROSTATIC-PRESSURE, Experimental physiology, 80(6), 1995, pp. 1039-1046
Oxygen consumption was measured in yellow freshwater eels, Anguilla an
guilla, during exposure to a hydrostatic pressure (HP) of 101 atmosphe
re absolute (ATA) for 3 h, either with or without a 5 degrees C increa
se in water temperature. It was found that concomitant increases in te
mperature and pressure resulted in an increase in oxygen consumption t
hat was lower than when pressure alone was increased. When eels were a
cclimated to HP for 21 days and then submitted to a temperature increa
se of 5 degrees C, this induced a significant increase in oxygen consu
mption but only during the first hour. It is therefore concluded that
raising the water temperature during the first hours under pressure co
uld counterbalance the pressure effects on membrane fluidity in a ther
modynamic manner and thus help shallow-water fish acclimate to high pr
essure. In contrast, when acclimation processes are ended, the tempera
ture effect disappears within 1 h.