In situ investigations on the respiration and behaviour of the eelpout Zoarces viviparus under short-term hypoxia

Abstract

Respiration and swimming activity both declined almost continuously with decreasing oxygen saturation. Oxygen consumption dropped from an average of 300 mg O2kgwet-1h-1 at normoxic conditions (95% oxygen saturation) to 10 mg O2 per kgwet-1h-1 at 5% oxygen saturation. All eelpouts survived for 60 min in oxygen-free water. Eelpouts are thus well adapted to environmental hypoxia and can survive under anoxic conditions for about an hour. The ecological benefit of this adaptation is discussed with respect to the increasing oxygen problems in the Western Baltic observed in recent years. -from Authors