Abstract
Recent investigations have demonstrated that rainbow trout cope with acute high pH (pH > 9.0) exposure (lasting 3-8 days) through their ability to counteract high-pH-induced disturbances to ammonia excretion (JAmm), acid-base homeostasis, and electrolyte balance. In the present investigation our goal was to establish how these physiological processes were modulated during chronic (28-day) high pH (pH = 9.5) exposure. Chronic high pH led to minimal mortality, and there were no long-term changes in stress indicators levels, such as cortisol or glucose. JAmm was initially reduced by 40% at high pH but rapidly recovered and fluctuated around control rates, thereafter. Decreased JAmm was associated with an initial 2.5-fold increase in plasma ammonia concentrations (TAmm), followed by a return toward pre-exposure levels after 3 days. Overall, plasma TAmm was slightly higher (40-80%) in the treatment fish, and this likely led to plasma PNH3S that were sufficient to sustain JAmm at high pH. White muscle TAmm stores were also chronically elevated, by 50-100%. There was a transient, twofold elevation of JUrea immediately following high-pH exposure, but by 3 days JUrea had returned to control rates and stabilized thereafter. Plasma ion balance was well maintained at high pH, despite a chronic depression of Na+ influx. Even though there was a persistent respiratory alkalosis at alkaline pH, blood pH was effectively regulated by a simultaneous metabolic acid load, which was not associated with increased lactic acid production. White muscle intracellular pH (pH1) was unaltered during high pH exposure. We conclude that the long-term survival of rainbow trout in alkaline environments is facilitated by higher steady-state internal ammonia concentrations, the development of a sustained, compensatory metabolic acidosis which offsets decreased plasma PCO2, and the effective regulation of plasma electrolyte balance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-14 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Zoology |
| Volume | 274 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1996 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
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Physiological adaptations of rainbow trout to chronically elevated water pH (pH = 9.5). / Wilkie, Michael P.; Simmons, Heather E.; Wood, Chris M.
In: Journal of Experimental Zoology, Vol. 274, No. 1, 01.01.1996, p. 1-14.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Physiological adaptations of rainbow trout to chronically elevated water pH (pH = 9.5)
AU - Wilkie, Michael P.
AU - Simmons, Heather E.
AU - Wood, Chris M.
PY - 1996/1/1
Y1 - 1996/1/1
N2 - Recent investigations have demonstrated that rainbow trout cope with acute high pH (pH > 9.0) exposure (lasting 3-8 days) through their ability to counteract high-pH-induced disturbances to ammonia excretion (JAmm), acid-base homeostasis, and electrolyte balance. In the present investigation our goal was to establish how these physiological processes were modulated during chronic (28-day) high pH (pH = 9.5) exposure. Chronic high pH led to minimal mortality, and there were no long-term changes in stress indicators levels, such as cortisol or glucose. JAmm was initially reduced by 40% at high pH but rapidly recovered and fluctuated around control rates, thereafter. Decreased JAmm was associated with an initial 2.5-fold increase in plasma ammonia concentrations (TAmm), followed by a return toward pre-exposure levels after 3 days. Overall, plasma TAmm was slightly higher (40-80%) in the treatment fish, and this likely led to plasma PNH3S that were sufficient to sustain JAmm at high pH. White muscle TAmm stores were also chronically elevated, by 50-100%. There was a transient, twofold elevation of JUrea immediately following high-pH exposure, but by 3 days JUrea had returned to control rates and stabilized thereafter. Plasma ion balance was well maintained at high pH, despite a chronic depression of Na+ influx. Even though there was a persistent respiratory alkalosis at alkaline pH, blood pH was effectively regulated by a simultaneous metabolic acid load, which was not associated with increased lactic acid production. White muscle intracellular pH (pH1) was unaltered during high pH exposure. We conclude that the long-term survival of rainbow trout in alkaline environments is facilitated by higher steady-state internal ammonia concentrations, the development of a sustained, compensatory metabolic acidosis which offsets decreased plasma PCO2, and the effective regulation of plasma electrolyte balance.
AB - Recent investigations have demonstrated that rainbow trout cope with acute high pH (pH > 9.0) exposure (lasting 3-8 days) through their ability to counteract high-pH-induced disturbances to ammonia excretion (JAmm), acid-base homeostasis, and electrolyte balance. In the present investigation our goal was to establish how these physiological processes were modulated during chronic (28-day) high pH (pH = 9.5) exposure. Chronic high pH led to minimal mortality, and there were no long-term changes in stress indicators levels, such as cortisol or glucose. JAmm was initially reduced by 40% at high pH but rapidly recovered and fluctuated around control rates, thereafter. Decreased JAmm was associated with an initial 2.5-fold increase in plasma ammonia concentrations (TAmm), followed by a return toward pre-exposure levels after 3 days. Overall, plasma TAmm was slightly higher (40-80%) in the treatment fish, and this likely led to plasma PNH3S that were sufficient to sustain JAmm at high pH. White muscle TAmm stores were also chronically elevated, by 50-100%. There was a transient, twofold elevation of JUrea immediately following high-pH exposure, but by 3 days JUrea had returned to control rates and stabilized thereafter. Plasma ion balance was well maintained at high pH, despite a chronic depression of Na+ influx. Even though there was a persistent respiratory alkalosis at alkaline pH, blood pH was effectively regulated by a simultaneous metabolic acid load, which was not associated with increased lactic acid production. White muscle intracellular pH (pH1) was unaltered during high pH exposure. We conclude that the long-term survival of rainbow trout in alkaline environments is facilitated by higher steady-state internal ammonia concentrations, the development of a sustained, compensatory metabolic acidosis which offsets decreased plasma PCO2, and the effective regulation of plasma electrolyte balance.
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M3 - Article
VL - 274
SP - 1
EP - 14
JO - Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Comparative Experimental Biology
JF - Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Comparative Experimental Biology
SN - 0022-104X
IS - 1
ER -