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Functional Significance of a Partial-Emersion Response in the Intertidal Prawn Palaemon Elegans (Crustacea: Palaemonidae) During Environmental Hypoxia

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Functional Significance of a Partial-Emersion Response in the Intertidal Prawn Palaemon Elegans (Crustacea: Palaemonidae) During Environmental Hypoxia I MARINE ECOLOGY - PROGRESS SERIES Vol. 44: 141-147, 1988 Published May 5 Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. Functional significance of a partial-emersion response in the intertidal prawn Palaemon elegans (Crustacea: Palaemonidae) during environmental hypoxia A. C.Taylor, J. I. Spicer Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow. Glasgow G12 800. Scotland ABSTRACT: During exposure to severe hypoxia (<20 Torr [2.7 x 103 Pal) under both laboratory and field conhtions, prawns Palaemon elegans Rathke frequently exhibited a parbal-emersion response dunng which they moved into shallow water and became quiescent, usually lying on their sides at the water's edge. The Poz at which this behavioural response occurred appeared to be dependent on temperature; at higher temperatures the prawns exhibited this response at higher oxygen tensions. When exposed to anoxic conditions in the laboratory, P. elegans sometimes left the water and emerged onto boulders. Investigations of the physiological advantages of the partial-emersion response demons- trated that the total oxygen content of the blood was significantly higher and the concentration of L- lactate lower than that of either fully immersed or totally emersed prawns It appears, therefore, that P. elegans is able to exploit the higher oxygen tensions at the air/water interface and can meet most of its metabolic demands via aerobic metabolism. Although prawns which emerge completely from the water when exposed to anoxia may be able to utilize air as a source of oxygen, they are faced with problems of acid-base disturbance In the blood due to the difficulties of CO2 excretion. In these prawns, the total CO2 content of the blood was significantly higher and the pH lower than that of partially-emersed prawns. By remaining in contact with the water, partially-emersed prawns gain an important respiratory advantage and are able to reduce the problems both of acid-base disturbance and of desiccation during total emersion. INTRODUCTION tolerate even severe hypoxic stress, it is incapable of surviving more than a few hours exposure to anoxia The prawn Palaemon elegans Rathke is a common (Taylor & Spicer 1987). inhabitant of intertidal rock pools on European coasts During studies of acid-base disturbance in the blood and is regularly exposed to periods of low environ- and the metabolic changes accompanying exposure to mental oxygen tension that are a feature of the rock environmental hypoxia in Palaemon elegans, it was pool environment (Stephenson et al. 1934, Daniel & noted that this species exhibited certain behavioural Boyden 1975, Truchot & Duhamel-Jouve 1980, Morris responses which might be of importance in enabling & Taylor 1983). The respiratory and metabolic respon- individuals to survive periods of exposure to severe ses of this species to environmental hypoxia have been hypoxia in intertidal rock pools. The aim of the present the subject of several recent studies (Morris & Taylor study was to characterize these behavioural adapta- 1985, Morris et al. 1985, Taylor & Spicer 1987 and tions and to assess their importance in minimising unpubl., Taylor 1988). P. elegans is well adapted to physiological disturbance during exposure to environ- withstand hypoxia and is able to maintain its rate of mental hypoxia. oxygen consumption over a wide range of ambient oxygen tension down to a cntical tension (P,) of less than 20 Torr (2.7 X 103 Pa) (Morris & Taylor 1985). MATERIAL AND METHODS Below this cntical tension, the normal aerobic respira- tion rates cannot be sustained and there is a shift from Collection and maintenance of specimens. Palae- aerobic to anaerobic metabolism which results in the mon elegans were collected from intertidal pools at the production of lactic acid. Although P. elegans is able to HWN level on a rocky promontory to the west of Kames Q Inter-Research/Printed in F. R. Germany 142 Mar Ecol. Prog. Ser. 44: 141-147, 1988 Bay, on the Isle of Cumbrae, Firth of Clyde, Scotland. monitor in vivo blood oxygen tensions using a Searle Prawns were collected using a hand-held net at regular neonatal oxygen probe (1.35 mm diameter) but, due to intervals thoughout the period February to June, 1987. the small size of even the largest prawns (2.72g), this After collection, the prawns were transported back to was unsuccessful. Determinations of the total oxygen the Zoology Department, University of Glasgow, in content of the blood (Co2)were carried out, however. large plastic containers (40 1) of seawater. Palaemon on 10 LLIblood samples taken from the pericardium (see serratus (Pennant) were obtained from the specimen below). supply department of the Marine Biological Associa- Three large plastic tanks (volume = 10 1) were set up tion at Plymouth, England. Specimens were kept for at in a temperature-controlled room at 10 "C. Two of the least 1 wk at 10 'C in a seawater aquarium in the tanks contained 5 1 of seawater (salinity = 30 %o) made laboratory before being used in any experiment. Dur- up from artificial sea salts (Tropic Marine) dissolved in ing this time, they were fed regularly on mussels deionized water which had been left overnight in the Mytilus edulis (L.) and were subject to a 12/12 h Light/ room to equilibrate to the experimental temperature. dark regime. They were starved for 2 d before the start One tank was covered with a polystyrene sheet (5 mm of the experiments. thick), which was cut to fit the inside of the tank and Behavioural observations. Behavioural observations which, when floating on the water surface, substan- were carried out on Palaemon elegans at 10 and 20 "C tially reduced the air/water interface and helped to under the following conditions. A 10 1 transparent, prevent the diffusion of oxygen back into the water. An plastic tank was filled with 5 1 of artificial seawater oxygen electrode (E5046, Radiometer, Denmark), (Tropic Marine) having a salinity of 30 %o. A number of coupled to an oxygen meter (Strathkelvin Instruments, small sandstone boulders, collected from rock pools on Glasgow) and a pen recorder (Smith's Servoscribe), the Isle of Cumbrae, were placed in the tank and, by was fitted through a hole in the polystyrene sheet to being semi-submerged, allowed the prawns to move enable the Po2 to be monitored continuously through- into more shallow water or even to leave the water out the experiment. The prawns in this tank were completely. Five individuals were placed in the tank therefore exposed to hypoxic conditions but were and left for 2 to 3 h to acclimatize to the experimental unable to move into shallow water where the oxygen conditions. After this time, the oxygen tension (Po2)of tension may have been slightly higher or to exhibit an the water was reduced at a constant rate by bubbling a emersion response (see below). These are referred to gas mixture produced by gas mixing pumps (Wosthoff, subsequently as immersed prawns. Bochum, FRG) through the water. The P02 decreased at The second tank was not covered and was provided a rate of approximately 80 Torr h-' to produce a final with small boulders which allowed the prawns either to PO*of < 1 Torr (1.3 X 102 Pa). The partial pressure of enter shallow water or even to completely leave the CO2 in the gas mixture (Pco,) was held constant at 0.8 water. The Po2 of the water in the tanks was maintained Torr. The behavioural responses of the prawns were at a constant level by bubbling the required gas mix- monitored continuously thoughout the experiment. ture, produced by a precision gas mixing system, Some comparative experiments were also carried out through 2 air-stones situated at either end of the under identical conditions on the closely related experimental tanks. A third (empty) tank was lined Palaemon serratus. with filter paper soaked in seawater (S = 30 %o). After Field observations. Recorhngs of the behaviour of prawns had been introduced into this tank, it was Palaemon elegans in rock pools on the Isle of Cumbrae, covered with a moistened paper towel to ensure the Firth of Clyde, were made at different times of the year. maintenance of a high relative humidity. These are Observations were made throughout the day but most referred to subsequently as emersed prawns. recordings took place at night when the PO, of the Thirty Palaernon elegans (fresh wt range 1.34 to 2.66 water in the rock pools was at its lowest. ~urther g) were introduced into each of the tanks containing recordings were carried out on 2 occasions at Wem- seawater and left undisturbed for 12 h. After this time 5 bury, near Plymouth, Devon, England, since at this individuals were removed and these were taken as location it was possible to find both P. elegans and P. controls (Time 0). The oxygen tension of the water was serratus in the intertidal pools. This enabled us to make then reduced by bubbling a predetermined gas mix- an interesting comparative study of the behaviour of ture having a PO, of either l0 Torr (1.3 X 10 Pa) or 0 Torr these 2 species. through the water. The percentage of Pc-, in the gas Hypoxia and anoxia experiments. In the laboratory, mixture was adjusted to maintain a constant water pH measurements were made of the changes in pH, total and PC02 throughout each of the experiments. The carbon dioxide content (Cco7) and the concentration of oxygen tension of the water decreased at a rate of L-lactate in the blood of ~alaernonelegans exposed to approximately 160 Torr h-', and this rate of depletion hypoxic conditions. Attempts were also m.ade to was maintained for each of the experiments. A further Taylor & Spicer: Partial emersion ~n a prawn 143 30 individuals were gently removed from their holding created a current of water around the body.
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