title: The effect of temperature and ammonia exposure on swimming performance of brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis).
abstract: The effects of water temperature and ammonia concentration on swimming capacity of brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis, Mitchill, 1814) were determined by measuring gait transition speed (U(gt), cms(-1)), maximum burst speed (U(max), cms(-1)), tail-beat amplitude (a, cm), tail-beat frequency (f, Hz), maximum acceleration of bursts (A(max), cms(-2)), number of bursts, distance of bursts (cm) and total swimming distance (cm) in a 4.5m long experimental raceway with increasing upstream water velocity. Temperatures other than the acclimation temperature of 15 degrees C significantly reduced swimming characteristics of gait transition, i.e. U(gt) and A(max), while increased ammonia concentration reduced the measures of swimming after U(gt): U(max), the relationship between f and swimming speed above U(gt), a, A(max) and the distance travelled with each swimming burst above U(gt). This study, using a novel raceway set-up shows various effects of temperature and ammonia exposure on the swimming performance of brook charr and can be used to establish threshold values for environmental management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. christiantudorache@gmail.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tudorache
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: O'Keefe
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Benfey
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D014337:Trout / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D000641:Ammonia