Elevated CO2 enhances aerobic scope of a coral reef fish.

ABSTRACT: The uptake of anthropogenic CO2 by the ocean has been suggested to impact marine ecosystems by decreasing the respiratory capacity of fish and other water breathers. We investigated the aerobic metabolic scope of the spiny damselfish, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia when exposed for 17 days to CO2 conditions predicted for the end of the century (946 μatm CO2). Surprisingly, resting O2 consumption rates were significantly lower and maximal O2 consumption rates significantly higher in high-CO2-exposed fish compared with control fish (451 μatm CO2). Consequently, high-CO2-exposed fish exhibited an unexpected increase in absolute (38%) and factorial aerobic scopes (47%). Haematological and muscle water changes associated with exercise were not affected by CO

SUBMITTER: Rummer JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4732439 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature