The likely effects of thermal climate change on vertebrate skeletal muscle mechanics with possible consequences for animal movement and behaviour

Abstract

Changes in temperature, caused by climate change, can alter the amount of power an animal’s muscle produces, which could in turn affect that animal’s ability to catch prey or escape predators. Some animals may cope with such changes, but other species could undergo local extinction as a result.

What do warming waters mean for fish physiology and fisheries?

“…Skeletal muscle, in particular, shows strong acclimation responses, which often leads to thermal compensation of locomotor performance (Guderley 2004; James & Tallis 2019). During cold acclimation, muscle function may be maintained by increasing the activities of the myofibrillar ATPases and altering the primary structure and isoform composition of the myosin heavy chains (MHCs) that determine muscle fibre types (Johnston & Temple 2002; Watabe et al ., 1992).…”

“…age can reduce whole-animal performance, e.g., by disrupting muscle function and swimming performance(Ghanizadeh Kazerouni et al, 2016). Antioxidant concentrations and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferases may increase to defend against excessive ROS produced at cold and warm thermal extremes(Ghanizadeh Kazerouni et al, 2016;Leggatt et al, 2007).Skeletal muscle, in particular, shows strong acclimation responses, which often leads to thermal compensation of locomotor performance(Guderley 2004;James & Tallis 2019). During cold acclimation, muscle function may be maintained by increasing the activities of the myofibrillar ATPases and altering the primary structure and isoform composition of the myosin heavy chains (MHCs) that determine muscle fibre types(Johnston & Temple 2002;Watabe et al, 1992).…”

Temperature effects on the contractile performance and efficiency of oxidative muscle from a eurythermal versus a stenothermal salmonid

“… Clarke et al, 2007 ; Fey et al, 2015 ; Oliver et al, 2018 ; Frölicher et al, 2018 ; Stillman, 2019 ) have spurred interest in the effects of warming and how it may impact fish physiology, including effects on cardiac and skeletal muscle function (e.g. Klemetsen et al, 2003 ; Elliott and Elliott, 2010 ; Clark et al, 2011 ; Martins et al, 2012 ; Chen et al, 2013 ; Christen et al, 2018 ; Shuman and Coughlin, 2018 ; James and Tallis, 2019 ; MacMillan, 2019 ; Pichaud et al, 2019 ; Haverinen and Vornanen, 2020 ; Nudds et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Hence, impaired muscle performance, or marked changes in muscle efficiency, with changes in temperature could limit thermal tolerance and temperature-dependent performance of the whole animal (Wang and Overgaard, 2007;Eliason et al, 2011;Eliason and Anttila, 2017). Research on the effects of thermal acclimation on fish muscle performance has primarily focused on the effects of cooling and cold acclimation, and these studies report that cold acclimation improves contractile performance at low temperatures (reviewed by Johnston and Temple, 2002;Syme, 2006;Klaiman et al, 2014;James and Tallis, 2019). The effects of acclimation to higher temperatures, and warming to temperatures that approach the upper thermal limits of fish, on muscle function are not as well described, although recent concerns about accelerated climate warming and the increasing severity and frequency of heat waves (e.g.…”

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

“…One mechanism to blunt the effects of climate change is thermal acclimation by ectothermic animals such as fishes (Seebacher et al, 2015). Thermal acclimation is a common feature of fishes (Bouchard & Guderley, 2003; Coughlin et al, 2016; James & Tallis, 2019; Johnston et al, 1990; O'Steen & Bennett, 2003; Seebacher & James, 2008; Swank & Rome, 1999, 2001; Wakeling et al, 2000; Woytanowski & Coughlin, 2013) including many species of salmonids (Coughlin et al, 2020; Day & Butler, 2005; Egginton et al, 2000; Evans, 1990; Hvas et al, 2017; MacNutt et al, 2004; Taylor et al, 1996; Xia et al, 2017). Atlantic salmon show limited thermal acclimation of their metabolic function (Hvas et al, 2017), although they do display significant phenotypic plasticity of their cardiac muscle (Anttilla et al, 2014).…”