File(s) under permanent embargo
Heart rate as a measure of stress in Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 13:56 authored by Ritz, DA, Newman, L, Kerrie SwadlingKerrie Swadling, Nicol, S, Jonathan OsbornJonathan OsbornAntarctic krill, Euphausia superba, normally live in social aggregations (schools) but rarely aggregate in laboratory tanks. In order to study the effect of stress on solitary living we tethered krill to wooden skewers and measured heart rate both when they were held isolated from conspecifics and when they were held at normal schooling distances (∼1 body length). Heart rate did not differ significantly with sex or body size. However, intermoult krill had a significantly lower heart rate than postmoult animals. When two individuals were held at schooling distance, with one slightly higher in the water column than the other, the heart rate of the higher individual slowed significantly (106-98 beats min-1), while that of the lower individual remained the same. We interpret these results to mean that krill living solitarily are stressed but will respond to neighbouring individuals by decreasing their metabolic rate and saving energy.
History
Publication title
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United KingdomVolume
83Pagination
329-330ISSN
0025-3154Department/School
Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesPublisher
Cambridge University PressPlace of publication
USARights statement
Copyright 2003 Cambridge University PressRepository Status
- Restricted