Measuring U_crit and endurance: equipment choice influences estimates of fish swimming performance

Abstract

This study compared the critical swimming speed (U crit ) and endurance performance of three Australian freshwater fish species in different swim-test apparatus. Estimates of U crit measured in a large recirculating flume were greater for all species compared with estimates from a smaller model of the same recirculating flume. Large differences were also observed for estimates of endurance swimming performance between these recirculating flumes and a free-surface swim tunnel. Differences in estimates of performance may be attributable to variation in flow conditions within different types of swim chambers. Variation in estimates of swimming performance between different types of flumes complicates the application of laboratory-based measures to the design of fish passage infrastructure.

Swimming performance traits of twenty-one Australian fish species: a fish passage management tool for use in modified freshwater systems

“…We quantified Ucrit values (Brett, 1964;Kern et al, 2017;Rodgers et al, 2014) for twenty native Australian fish species listed in Table 2. Likewise, we collected Usprint (Starrs et al, 2011) data for all species, with the exception being G. brevipinnis.…”

“…Likewise, we collected Usprint (Starrs et al, 2011) data for all species, with the exception being G. brevipinnis. Both Ucrit and Usprint trials were performed in a 185 L flow controlled recirculating flume (Loligo, Tjele, Denmark) that was calibrated using a Prandtl-pitot tube (Kern et al, 2017) and maintained at 25 ± 1 °C. For each Ucrit test, individual fish were introduced to the flume and left for five min to recuperate from handling stress.…”

“…The endurance trials were conducted in a hydraulic channel (12 x 0.5 x 0.25 m) with a constant supply header tank system (Kern et al, 2017). The channel was part of a 40,000 L recirculating fish swimming facility at The University of Queensland's Biohydrodynamics Laboratory.…”

“…Swimming performance data for native Australian fish is sparse (see (Kern et al, 2017;Kopf et al, 2014;Mallen-Cooper, 1992;Rodgers et al, 2017Rodgers et al, , 2014Starrs et al, 2011;Bice and Zampatti, 2005;Whiterod, 2012)), and what does exist has been collected using different protocols and equipment. As an aid for fisheries managers in Australia, we aimed to quantify the swimming performance of twenty-one native fish species.…”

Relationship between swimming capacities and morphological traits of fish larvae at settlement stage: a study of several coastal Mediterranean species

“…Specifically, because experimental simplifications seek to obtain the most data with the least effort, predictive models can be a solution to simplify data acquisition, especially in temperate environments such as the Mediterranean Sea where knowledge is limited. However, the sensitivities and tolerances of laboratory equipment must be taken into account for the standardised measurement and comparison of U crit with published values (Kern et al, ).…”