Effects of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons upon the metabolism of the common sole Solea solea

Abstract

On December 12th, 1999, the oil tanker Erika sank off the southern coast of Brittany (France), releasing 20000-30000tons of heavy oil in the open sea. Among the affected coastal habitats were important nurseries for numerous flatfish species and particularly for the common sole, Solea solea. To investigate the potential impact of the spill on this economically significant resource, we employed Fry's concept of metabolic scope for activity to assess the deleterious effect of fuel exposure on the functional integrity of juvenile sole. Fish were captured from uncontaminated areas and experimentally exposed to contamination conditions mimicking those encountered during the weeks that followed the Erika spill. Using respirometry techniques we measured basal and active metabolic rates, and calculated aerobic metabolic scope, in control and fuel-exposed sole. We then compared the ability of control and fuel-exposed sole to face an episode of reduced oxygen availability. We found that whereas basal metabolic rate was not altered in fuel-exposed fish, active metabolic rate (-27%), and therefore aerobic metabolic scope, were impacted. These changes in metabolic scope were viewed as indicating changes in fishes' ability to face environmental contingencies. Finally the ability of sole to face an episode of reduced oxygen availability was found to be significantly altered following fuel exposure as indicated by a 65% increase in the critical oxygen level. It is concluded that fuel-exposed sole are functionally impaired and less able to face environmental challenges. The link between these results and the recently reported fall in the abundance of the year class that suffered the Erika oil spill is discussed.

Influence of Hydrocarbons Exposure on Survival, Growth and Condition of Juvenile Flatfish: A Mesocosm Experiment

“…It was hypothesized that the relative failure of the cohort present in the nursery ground at the time of the Erika oil spill was linked to this impaired ability for environmental adaptation (Claireaux and Davoodi 2010;Davoodi and Claireaux 2007). This study strengthened this view.…”

Cost of Tolerance: Physiological Consequences of Evolved Resistance to Inhabit a Polluted Environment in Teleost Fish Fundulus heteroclitus

“…This was a result of increased RMO 2 and decreased MMO 2 . Although PAH exposure can lead to reduced maximum rates in fish, 48 MMO 2 was similar to KC in highly PAH-resistant AW and MP. It is possible that in contrast to JC, AW, and MP subpopulations were able compensate for PAH-effects on maximum rates.…”

Air breathing in the Arctic: influence of temperature, hypoxia, activity and restricted air access on respiratory physiology of Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis)

“…Total Ṁ O2 was calculated for each point as the sum. Standard Ṁ O2 with access to air was then calculated as the 10th percentile (Van den Thillart et al, 1994;Davoodi and Claireaux, 2007;Dupont-Prinet et al, 2010;Nelson and Chabot, 2011) of all the Ṁ O2 points during the 24 h measurement (for each fish). Fish that did not appear to enter a resting state during this period were omitted from further calculations (Fig.…”