Swimming from coast to coast: a novel fixed-gear swimming gait in fish

Gellman, E D; Tandler, Talia; Ellerby, David J.

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2019.0270

Cited by 11 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(28 reference statements)

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“…total length of 18.6 ± 1.0 cm. Video sequences (n = 26 total, 4-5 per fish) of bass swimming intermittently were isolated and analysed for swimming speed, propulsive and glide durations, tailbeat frequency, tailbeat amplitude and Strouhal number (St) as described in Gellman et al [20]. Tailbeat frequency and amplitude were determined during the swimming bouts.…”

Section: (A) Swimming Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intermittent swimming is a more recently described swimming behaviour in fishes proposed to reduce energy costs at steady, sustainable swimming speeds [16][17][18]. In field studies and laboratory observations, swimming fish will routinely employ a sustainable, aerobic muscle-powered intermittent swimming behaviour in which 2-3 tailbeats are alternated with approximately 1 s glide periods [1,[19][20][21][22]. Importantly, this has been generally observed when fish are swimming volitionally in static water as opposed to induced flows in a laboratory swim tunnel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Modelling of intermittent swimming behaviour using the red or aerobic myotome in this alternating manner suggests a reduction in energetic costs [16][17][18]. Gliding in a straight body position reduces drag compared to an undulating body, leading to the prediction of lower muscle activity and lower energetic costs when gliding and undulation are alternated [20]. This description of intermittent swimming is distinct from the classically described high-speed burst and coast swimming that requires white or anaerobic muscle recruitment and is therefore inherently unsustainable (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intermittent propulsion in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides , increases power production at low swimming speeds

2022

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Locomotion dominates animal energy budgets, and selection should favour behaviours that minimize transportation costs. Recent fieldwork has altered our understanding of the preferred modes of locomotion in fishes. For instance, bluegill employ a sustainable intermittent swimming form with 2–3 tail beats alternating with short glides. Volitional swimming studies in the laboratory with bluegill suggest that the propulsive phase reflects a fixed-gear constraint on body–caudal-fin activity. Largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) also reportedly display intermittent swimming in the field. We examined swimming by bass in a static tank to quantify the parameters of volitional locomotion, including tailbeat frequency and glide duration, across a range of swimming speeds. We found that tailbeat frequency was not related to speed at low swimming speeds. Instead, speed was a function of glide duration between propulsive events, with glide duration decreasing as speed increased. The propulsive Strouhal number remained within the range that maximizes propulsive efficiency. We used muscle mechanics experiments to simulate power production by muscle operating under intermittent versus steady conditions. Workloop data suggest that intermittent activity allows fish to swim efficiently and avoid the drag-induced greater energetic cost of continuous swimming. The results offer support for a new perspective on fish locomotion: intermittent swimming is crucial to aerobic swimming energetics.

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Section: (A) Swimming Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intermittent propulsion in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides , increases power production at low swimming speeds

2022

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“…The focus of the present work is to determine if Atlantic salmon show a thermal acclimation response in the contractile function of their myotomal muscle. Locomotion dominates the energy budgets of animals (Boisclair & Sirois, 1993; Gellman et al, 2019; Irschick & Garland, 2001). Thermal acclimation of the myotomal muscle would therefore be a mechanism to mitigate in part the impact of climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and anadromous fish: How does thermal acclimation affect the mechanics of the myotomal muscle of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar?

2021

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In response to accelerated temperature shifts due to climate change, the survival of many species will require forms of thermal acclimation to their changing environment. We were interested in how climate change will impact a commercially and recreationally important species of fish, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). As climate change alters the thermal environment of their natal streams, we asked how their muscle function will be altered by extended exposure to both warm and cold temperatures. We performed a thermal acclimation study of S. salar muscle mechanics of both fast‐twitch, or white, and slow‐twitch, or red, myotomal muscle bundles to investigate how temperature acclimated Atlantic salmon would respond across a range of different temperatures. Isometric contraction properties, maximum shortening velocity, and oscillatory power output were measured and compared amongst three groups of salmon—warm acclimated (20°C), cold‐acclimated (2°C), and those at their rearing temperature (12°C). The Atlantic salmon showed limited thermal acclimation in their contraction kinetics, and some of the shifts in contractile properties that were observed would not be predicted to mitigate the impact of a warming environment. For instance, the maximum shortening velocity at a common test temperature was higher in the warm acclimated group and lower in the cold‐acclimated group. In addition, critical swimming speed did not vary with temperature of acclimation when tested at a common temperature (12°C). Our results suggest that Atlantic salmon populations will continue to struggle in response to a warming environment.

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“…For instance, intermittent swimming in fishes is an example of a potentially energy‐saving behaviour at steady, sustainable swimming speeds (Floryan et al ., 2017; Zhao & Dou, 2020). Field and laboratory observations of volitional swimming fish have demonstrated that fish routinely employ intermittent swimming behaviour during aerobically sustainable swimming (Cathcart et al ., 2017; Ellerby et al ., 2018; Gellman et al ., 2019; Han et al ., 2017; Noda et al ., 2016). Modelling suggests that sustained swimming in an intermittent manner ( i.e ., short duration pulpulsive periods of two to three tailbeats interspersed with ~1.0 s glide periods) reduces the energy costs of locomotion (Floryan et al ., 2017; Zhao & Dou, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Group swimming behaviour and energetics in bluegillLepomis macrochirusand rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss

Currier

Rouse

Coughlin

2020

Journal of Fish Biology

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Group swimming size influences metabolic energy consumption and swimming behaviour in fishes. Hydrodynamic flows and vortices of other fish are thought to be beneficial in terms of the energetic costs of swimming. Similarly, abiotic obstructions have been shown to have similar benefits with respect to metabolic consumption in swimming fish such as rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. The current study works to examine metabolic rates and swimming behaviours as a function of group swimming with bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus and O. mykiss. Fishes were subjected to individual and group swimming in a respiratory swim tunnel to determine oxygen consumption as a proxy for the metabolic rate of swimming fish. In addition, fish movements within the swim tunnel test chamber were tracked to examine group swimming behaviour. We hypothesized that fish would benefit metabolically from group swimming. In the case of O. mykiss, we also hypothesized that groups would benefit from the presence of an abiotic structure, as has been previously observed in fish swimming individually. Our results suggest that the influence of group size on swimming metabolism is species specific. While L. macrochirus show decreased metabolic rate when swimming in a group compared to individually, O. mykiss did not show such a metabolic benefit from group swimming.

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Swimming from coast to coast: a novel fixed-gear swimming gait in fish

Cited by 11 publications

References 25 publications

Intermittent propulsion in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides , increases power production at low swimming speeds

Intermittent propulsion in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides , increases power production at low swimming speeds

Climate change and anadromous fish: How does thermal acclimation affect the mechanics of the myotomal muscle of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar?

Group swimming behaviour and energetics in bluegillLepomis macrochirusand rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss

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