Bidirectional cyclical flows increase energetic costs of station holding for a labriform swimming fish, Cymatogaster aggregata.

ABSTRACT: Wave-induced surge conditions are found in shallow marine ecosystems worldwide; yet, few studies have quantified how cyclical surges may affect free swimming animals. Here, we used a recently adapted respirometry technique to compare the energetic costs of a temperate fish species (Cymatogaster aggregata) swimming against a steady flow versus cyclical unidirectional and bidirectional surges in which unsteady swimming (such as accelerating, decelerating and turning) occurs. Using oxygen uptake (ṀO₂) as an estimate of energetic costs, our results reveal that fish swimming in an unsteady (i.e. cyclical) unidirectional flow showed no clear increase in costs when compared to a steady flow of the same average speed, suggesting that costs and savings from cyclical acceler

SUBMITTER: Luongo SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7439584 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature