Survival in an extreme habitat: the roles of behaviour and energy limitation

Plath, Martin; Tobler, Michael; Riesch, Rüdiger; León, Francisco J. Garcı́a de; Giere, Olav; Schlupp, Ingo

doi:10.1007/s00114-007-0279-2

Cited by 78 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Details on the study site can be found in Tobler et al (2006). To test for sex differences in the frequency of ASR, we reanalyzed data published in Plath et al (2007b). P. mexicana males (28.4±0.9 mm standard length, mean±SE) and females (36.0±1.9 mm) were exposed to both water from a sulfidic cave spring (83.6±28.1 μM H 2 S, 21.2±1.3% DO, n=12 measurements) and water from the same spring that was aerated for 1 h to remove H 2 S (0.8±1.2 μM H 2 S, 88.2±1.7% DO, n=3 measurements).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sulfide detoxification in organisms capable of tolerating high and sustained concentrations of H 2 S is primarily achieved through its oxidation to less toxic sulfur species and subsequent excretion through the kidneys (Curtis et al 1972;Bagarinao 1992;Ip et al 2004). Due to the hypoxic conditions in sulfidic habitats, oxygen available for respiration is generally limited, but at the same time oxygen is also required for coping with the toxic effects of H 2 S. Experiments in the natural habitat indicate that P. mexicana males have a higher susceptibility to the adverse conditions than females (Plath et al 2007b). To survive in the hypoxic sulfidic environment, this species strongly relies on ASR (Plath et al 2007b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to the hypoxic conditions in sulfidic habitats, oxygen available for respiration is generally limited, but at the same time oxygen is also required for coping with the toxic effects of H 2 S. Experiments in the natural habitat indicate that P. mexicana males have a higher susceptibility to the adverse conditions than females (Plath et al 2007b). To survive in the hypoxic sulfidic environment, this species strongly relies on ASR (Plath et al 2007b). During ASR, fish use the more oxygen-rich air-water interface (Lewis 1970;Kramer and Mehegan 1981).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Male-biased predation of a cave fish by a giant water bug

Tobler

Franssen

Plath

2008

Naturwissenschaften

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Male-biased predation has been described from several epigean species, and in many cases, intrinsic differences between the sexes (such as male ornaments) have been suggested as an explanation. Here we report on male-biased predation of a cave fish (Poecilia mexicana) by an aquatic insect (Belostoma sp.) in a Mexican sulfur cave. P. mexicana use aquatic surface respiration (ASR) to survive in their sulfidic, hypoxic habitat. We found that males typically exhibit more ASR activity than females, which leads to increased exposure to the sit-and-wait predator that catches fish near the water surface. Our finding is novel, because male vulnerability to predation is not directly related to male traits involved in courtship, but rather due to other sexual differences in behavior and ultimately, oxygen demands.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Male-biased predation of a cave fish by a giant water bug

Tobler

Franssen

Plath

2008

Naturwissenschaften

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“…Similarly, exposure to H 2 S has been shown to constrain energy acquisition in P. mexicana (Tobler et al 2009a). H 2 S causes and aggravates hypoxia in natural environments (Bagarinao 1992), driving exposed fish to trade off time between benthic foraging and aquatic surface respiration, which directly mediates survival in the toxic and hypoxic environment (Plath et al 2007b;Tobler et al 2009a). In addition, exposure to perpetually sulfidic environments requires active detoxification for survival.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction of Energetic Demands through Modification of Body Size and Routine Metabolic Rates in Extremophile Fish

Passow¹,

Greenway²,

Arias‐Rodríguez³

et al. 2015

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Variation in energy availability or maintenance costs in extreme environments can exert selection for efficient energy use, and reductions in organismal energy demand can be achieved in two ways: reducing body mass or metabolic suppression. Whether long-term exposure to extreme environmental conditions drives adaptive shifts in body mass or metabolic rates remains an open question. We studied body size variation and variation in routine metabolic rates in locally adapted populations of extremophile fish (Poecilia mexicana) living in toxic, hydrogen sulfide-rich springs and caves. We quantified size distributions and routine metabolic rates in wild-caught individuals from four habitat types. Compared with ancestral populations in nonsulfidic surface habitats, extremophile populations were characterized by significant reductions in body size. Despite elevated metabolic rates in cave fish, the body size reduction precipitated in significantly reduced energy demands in all extremophile populations. Laboratory experiments on common garden-raised fish indicated that elevated routine metabolic rates in cave fish likely have a genetic basis. The results of this study indicate that adaptation to extreme environments directly impacts energy metabolism, with fish living in cave and sulfide spring environments expending less energy overall during routine metabolism.

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“…Differences in tolerance likely arise from behavioural, morphological, and physiological modifications. Fish from sulphidic habitats readily engage in aquatic surface respiration upon exposure to H 2 S [125], and the ability to engage in this compensatory behaviour determines survivability in the natural environment [126]. In addition, sulphide spring fish are characterised by increases in gill surface area and head size, which improves oxygen acquisition efficiency [75,76].…”

Section: Adaptation To Sulphide Spring Environments In the Family Poementioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of Macroinvertebrate and Fish Diversity in Freshwater Sulphide Springs

Greenway

Arias‐Rodríguez²,

Diaz³

et al. 2014

Diversity

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Extreme environments are characterised by the presence of physicochemical stressors and provide unique study systems to address problems in evolutionary ecology research. Sulphide springs provide an example of extreme freshwater environments; because hydrogen sulphide's adverse physiological effects induce mortality in metazoans even at micromolar concentrations. Sulphide springs occur worldwide, but while microbial communities in sulphide springs have received broad attention, little is known about macroinvertebrates and fish inhabiting these toxic environments. We reviewed qualitative occurrence records of sulphide spring faunas on a global scale and present a quantitative case study comparing diversity patterns in sulphidic and adjacent non-sulphidic habitats across replicated river drainages in Southern Mexico. While detailed studies in most regions of the world remain scarce, available data suggests that sulphide spring faunas are characterised by low species richness. Dipterans (among macroinvertebrates) and cyprinodontiforms (among fishes) appear to dominate the communities in these habitats. At least in fish, there is evidence for the presence of highly endemic species and populations exclusively inhabiting sulphide springs. We provide a detailed discussion of traits that might predispose certain taxonomic groups to colonize sulphide springs, how colonizers subsequently adapt to cope with sulphide toxicity, and how adaptation may be linked to speciation processes. OPEN ACCESSDiversity 2014, 6 598

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Survival in an extreme habitat: the roles of behaviour and energy limitation

Cited by 78 publications

References 26 publications

Male-biased predation of a cave fish by a giant water bug

Male-biased predation of a cave fish by a giant water bug

Reduction of Energetic Demands through Modification of Body Size and Routine Metabolic Rates in Extremophile Fish

Patterns of Macroinvertebrate and Fish Diversity in Freshwater Sulphide Springs

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