Meeting Abstract
Climate change is affecting the thermal environment of aquatic organisms. This work explores how changes in the thermal environment affect rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), a eurythermal species that experiences a wide range of temperature, and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a stenothermal species that experiences a limited range of environmental temperatures and is more sensitive to changes in environmental temperature. Smelt were thermally acclimated to either a warm (10oC) or cold (5oC) temperature. Swimming performance in warm vs. cold acclimated smelt was tested and a video analysis of the swimming was examined to determine average tailbeat frequency. It was determined that the cold acclimated smelt had a faster maximum steady swimming speed and swam with a higher tailbeat frequency than the warm acclimated smelt. Muscle mechanics experiments demonstrated faster contractile properties in the cold acclimated smelt. Trout were thermally acclimated to 15oC, 10oC, or 5oC. Data will be presented on thermal acclimation, swimming performance, and muscle physiology and how it compares between the rainbow smelt and rainbow trout. I predict that in both the smelt and trout, cold acclimated (CA) fish will have faster swimming abilities along with faster contractile rates in their red muscle. Additionally, I expect that the smelt will have a more pronounced thermal acclimation response.
