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Does variation in egg structure among five populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) influence their survival in low oxygen conditions?

Does variation in egg structure among five populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) influence their survival in low oxygen conditions?
Does variation in egg structure among five populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) influence their survival in low oxygen conditions?
Oxygen supply to the salmonid egg surface can be limited by external factors such as sedimentation and groundwater upwelling, while the egg membrane itself can impede diffusion from the egg surface to the embryo. Therefore, the structure of egg membranes could affect the rate at which embryos obtain oxygen from their surroundings. Published field data indicate that oxygen stress experienced by salmonid eggs can vary widely among populations. Therefore, if membrane architecture influences diffusion rate to the embryo, selection for more permeable membranes could occur in oxygen-stressed environments. Using electron microscopy, the membrane structure of eggs obtained from five UK Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations is described. Membrane thickness, porosity and permeability to dissolved oxygen varied among populations. Furthermore, comparison of membranes of eggs that survived laboratory controlled low-oxygen conditions compared to those that died suggested that ova with less permeable membranes were more susceptible to hypoxia-induced mortality. In addition, membrane porosity was lower than previously reported indicating that oxygen requirements during incubation have been underestimated, so models such as the mass transfer theory that predict incubation success could currently overestimate ova survival. Variation in egg membrane structure influences low oxygen tolerance of Atlantic salmon embryos and could represent adaptation to low oxygen stress. Consequently, stock enhancement techniques such as supportive breeding that relieve incubation stress could erode structural adaptations.
2054-5703
Bloomer, Jack
95a226e6-9756-4288-9d26-381d4bfbc25e
Sear, David
ccd892ab-a93d-4073-a11c-b8bca42ecfd3
Kemp, Paul
9e33fba6-cccf-4eb5-965b-b70e72b11cd7
Bloomer, Jack
95a226e6-9756-4288-9d26-381d4bfbc25e
Sear, David
ccd892ab-a93d-4073-a11c-b8bca42ecfd3
Kemp, Paul
9e33fba6-cccf-4eb5-965b-b70e72b11cd7

Bloomer, Jack, Sear, David and Kemp, Paul (2019) Does variation in egg structure among five populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) influence their survival in low oxygen conditions? Royal Society Open Science, 6 (1), [181020]. (doi:10.1098/rsos.181020).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Oxygen supply to the salmonid egg surface can be limited by external factors such as sedimentation and groundwater upwelling, while the egg membrane itself can impede diffusion from the egg surface to the embryo. Therefore, the structure of egg membranes could affect the rate at which embryos obtain oxygen from their surroundings. Published field data indicate that oxygen stress experienced by salmonid eggs can vary widely among populations. Therefore, if membrane architecture influences diffusion rate to the embryo, selection for more permeable membranes could occur in oxygen-stressed environments. Using electron microscopy, the membrane structure of eggs obtained from five UK Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations is described. Membrane thickness, porosity and permeability to dissolved oxygen varied among populations. Furthermore, comparison of membranes of eggs that survived laboratory controlled low-oxygen conditions compared to those that died suggested that ova with less permeable membranes were more susceptible to hypoxia-induced mortality. In addition, membrane porosity was lower than previously reported indicating that oxygen requirements during incubation have been underestimated, so models such as the mass transfer theory that predict incubation success could currently overestimate ova survival. Variation in egg membrane structure influences low oxygen tolerance of Atlantic salmon embryos and could represent adaptation to low oxygen stress. Consequently, stock enhancement techniques such as supportive breeding that relieve incubation stress could erode structural adaptations.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 30 November 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 January 2019
Published date: 31 January 2019

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 428824
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/428824
ISSN: 2054-5703
PURE UUID: 6b09d907-0ca1-493a-99a1-447917bf6e8b
ORCID for David Sear: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0191-6179
ORCID for Paul Kemp: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4470-0589

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Date deposited: 11 Mar 2019 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:42

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Contributors

Author: Jack Bloomer
Author: David Sear ORCID iD
Author: Paul Kemp ORCID iD

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