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Metabolic cold adaptation in fishes occurs at the level of whole animal, mitochondria and enzyme
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 10:38 authored by White, CR, Alton, LA, Peter FrappellPeter FrappellMetabolic cold adaptation (MCA), the hypothesis that species from cold climates have relatively higher metabolic rates than those from warm climates, was first proposed nearly 100 years ago and remains one of the most controversial hypotheses in physiological ecology. In the present study, we test the MCA hypothesis in fishes at the level of whole animal, mitochondria and enzyme. In support of the MCA hypothesis, we find that when normalized to a common temperature, species with ranges that extend to high latitude (cooler climates) have high aerobic enzyme (citrate synthase) activity, high rates of mitochondrial respiration and high standard metabolic rates. Metabolic compensation for the global temperature gradient is not complete however, so when measured at their habitat temperature species from high latitude have lower absolute rates of metabolism than species from low latitudes. Evolutionary adaptation and thermal plasticity are therefore insufficient to completely overcome the acute thermodynamic effects of temperature, at least in fishes.
History
Publication title
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological SciencesVolume
279Issue
1734Pagination
1740-1747ISSN
0962-8452Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
The Royal Society PublishingPlace of publication
6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y5AG, UKRights statement
Copyright 2011 The Royal SocietyRepository Status
- Restricted