Effects of salinity on standard metabolic rate and critical oxygen tension in the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

The extensively farmed giant freshwater shrimp, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, can survive salinities up to 26 g L^?1, but the commercially important grow‐out occurs exclusively in freshwater areas. Recent studies suggest the shrimp equally capable of growing in brackish as fresh water and a better understanding of how this species responds to changing salinity could significantly impact freshwater prawn farming in deltas and coastal areas. Here, the effect of salinity (0 and 15 g L^?1) on standard metabolic rate (SMR) and critical oxygen tension (P_crit) was measured in adult M. rosenbergii using intermittent closed respirometry. SMR was 79.8 ± 3.1 and 72.7 ± 2.9 μmol kg^?1 min^?1 in fresh and brackish water, respectively, with no significant difference between the two salinities (P = 0.122). During hypoxia M. rosenbergii maintained oxygen uptake down to a P_crit of 26.3 ± 1.4 mmHg in fresh and 27.2 ± 2.0 mmHg in brackish water (P = 0.682), showing that salinity had no overall effect on oxygen conductance in the animals. These findings are in agreement with recent growth studies and provide further evidence that grow‐out phase could be accomplished in brackish water areas. Thus, the predicted intrusions of brackish water in tropical deltas as a consequence of future global warming may not impact this important production.     

Effect of thermal stress on Hsp70 gene expression and female reproductive performance of giant freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Using Hsp70 as a biomarker, thermal stress impinges on reproductive organs, ovary and hepatopancreas were being analyzed by determining the expression of Hsp70 mRNA inside the organs after the adult inter‐molt females were subjected to thermal treatment at 35, 30 and 28°C (Control). Results showed the expression of Hsp70 mRNA under thermal treatment of 35°C after 2 hr recovery in ovary were upregulated at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 hr and 30 days compared to control whereas in hepatopancreas under similar treatment, the expression of Hsp70 mRNA were significantly higher than control at 6, 24 hr and 30 days. Frequency of reproductive molt at 35°C showed the ovary of females were failed to develop and only entered common molt along three consecutive molt cycles. For 30°C thermal treatment, the expression of Hsp70 mRNA was significantly higher than control after 2 hr recovery but returned to normal afterwards until 30 days’ thermal treatment. Maternal heat shock for 2 hr at 35°C were found to give significantly lower frequency of reproductive molt and longer duration of ovarian development and incubation period whereas maternal heat shock for 2 hr at 30°C gave lower frequency of reproductive molt, slower development of embryo and lower hatching success compared to untreated control. This study suggests that short and long‐term thermal stress at 30 and 35°C were found to affect the induction of Hsp70 mRNA in reproductive organs of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and also influence their reproductive performance.     

Resistance to vibriosis,production performance and tolerance to stress of the selected giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the resistance to vibriosis, growth, survival and tolerance to stress of the selected prawn, second generation, compared to a non‐selected control. The first generation of selected giant freshwater prawn, which has 10.4% higher of resistance, was used to attain disease resistant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) generation through challenge test‐based selection. Resistance test was conducted by infecting the prawn (mean body weight of 10.29 ± 1.40 g) with pathogenic Vibrio harveyi (5 × 10⁵ cfu prawn^?1). The growth and survival of the prawn were evaluated by rearing the two populations of prawn in both nursery and grow‐out phases. Stress tolerance test was done by evaluating the viability of postlarvae exposed to environmental stressors, i.e. temperature, salinity, NH₃ and formaldehide. Post‐challenge survival of the selected prawn (55.0 ± 5.0%) was about 46% higher than that of the control (37.5 ± 7.5%). The survival of the selected prawn in nursery culture (77.16 ± 0.841%) was significantly higher (p < .05) than that of the control (51.31 ± 2.938%), while the survival in grow‐out culture was similar (p > .05). The growth of selected prawn (4.99 ± 0.03% day^?1) was significantly higher than that of the control (4.81 ± 0.05% day^?1). There was no difference between treatments on the tolerance level against the tested environmental stressor. Overall data suggested that the selected prawn showed better performance in growth and resistance against vibriosis.     

Variation in thermal tolerance and routine metabolism among spring- and stream dwelling freshwater sculpins (Teleostei: Cottidae) of the southeastern United States

Abstract— Evolutionary theory predicts that some aquatic organisms may adapt by directional selection to limiting physical environmental conditions, yet empirical data are conflicting. We sought to test the assumption that sculpins (family Cottidae) inhabiting thermally stable springs of the southeastern United States differ in temperature tolerance and metabolism from populations inhabiting more thermally labile stream habitats. Spring populations of pygmy sculpins ( Cottus pygmaeus ) and Ozark sculpins ( C. hypselurus ) differed interspecifically in thermal tolerance from populations of stream-dwelling mottled ( C. bairdi ) and Tallapoosa sculpins ( C. tallapoosae ), and both stream and spring populations of banded sculpins ( C. carolinae ). No intra- or interspecific differences in thermal tolerance were found among populations of C. bairdi, C. talla poosae , or C. carolinae . Cottus pygmaeus acclimated to 15°C differed intraspecifically in routine metabolism from fish acclimated to 20° and 25°C. Cottus pygmaeus and stream-dwelling C. bairdi and C. carolinae acclimated to temperatures of 20° and 25°C showed no interspecific differences in routine metabolism. Our results suggest that some spring-adapted populations or species may be more stenothermal than stream-dwelling congeners, but a greater understanding of the interactions of other physical and biological factors is required to better explain micro- and macro habitat distributions of eastern North American sculpins.     

Effects of Loma morhua (Microsporidia) infection on the cardiorespiratory performance of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua (L).

The microsporidian Loma morhua infects Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the wild and in culture and results in the formation of xenomas within the gill filaments, heart and spleen. Given the importance of the two former organs to metabolic capacity and thermal tolerance, the cardiorespiratory performance of cod with a naturally acquired infection of Loma was measured during an acute temperature increase (2 °C h^?1) from 10 °C to the fish's critical thermal maximum (CT_Max). In addition, oxygen consumption and swimming performance were measured during two successive critical swimming speed (U_crit) tests at 10 °C. While Loma infection had a negative impact on cod cardiac function at warm temperatures, and on metabolic capacity in both the CT_Max and U_crit tests (i.e. a reduction of 30–40%), it appears that the Atlantic cod can largely compensate for these Loma‐induced cardiorespiratory limitations. For example, (i) CT_Max (21.0 ± 0.3 °C) and U_crit (~1.75 BL s^?1) were very comparable to those reported in previous studies using uninfected fish from the same founder population; and (ii) our data suggest that tissue oxygen extraction, and potentially the capacity for anaerobic metabolism, is enhanced in fish infected with this microsporidian.     

Effect of acclimation temperature on thermoregulatory behaviour,thermal tolerance and respiratory metabolism of Lutjanus guttatus and the response of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh‐a) genes

This study evaluated the effect of different environmental temperatures in the physiology of Lutjanus guttatus juveniles by analysing their thermoregulatory behaviour, thermal tolerance, oxygen consumption rates and thermal metabolic scope. Jointly, the effect of acclimation and critical temperatures on heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh‐a) gene expressions were also analysed using acclimation temperatures of 20, 23, 26, 29 and 32°C. The results showed that the final preferred temperature in juvenile snapper was 26°C with a thermal window of 336.5°C², which was related to an optimal temperature for their physiology determined by the routine metabolic rate and thermal metabolic scope. At temperatures from 20 to 26°C, the routine metabolic rate and Hsp70 and Ldh‐a genes had the lowest values related to a basal expression level. At acclimation temperatures from 29 to 32°C and after critical thermal maximum (CT_max) limit, the relative expression of Hsp70 and Ldh‐a genes increased significantly, but the main response at CT_max was the upregulation of Hsp70 gene.