Effects of acclimation temperature on routine metabolism muscle mitrochondrial volume density and capillary supply in the elver ( Anguilla anguilla L.)

Abstract

1. 1.|Respiratory responses of juvenile European eel ( Anguilla anguilla L.) to acute and chronic temperature change have been investigated 2. 2.|Elvers were acclimated to either 10 or 29°C for 8 weeks thereafter standard O 2 consumption (V̇ o2) was 0.22 and 0.42 mg g −1 h −1, respectively. 3. 3.|Apparent Q 10 for routine O 2 consumption of acclimated elvers was 1.4. 4. 4.|Measurements of time-course of V̇ o2 changes during temperature acclimation suggest a partial compenation in metabolic rate. 5. 5.|Quantitative analysisof the fine structure and capillary supply to slow myotomal muscles was performed using electromicrograps. Volume densities of mitochondria were 0.26 for 10°C-acclimated elvers. In contrast, the surface and volume densities of capillaries (314 and 0.027 cm −1) were found to be independent of acclimation temperatures. 6. 6.|These results indicate that elvers are only capable of limited adjustments in metabolic rate, which may occount for their activity patterns at different temperatures.