Temperature Effects on the Responses to Prolonged Submergence in the Turtle Chrysemys picta bellii. II. Metabolic Rate, Blood Acid-Base and Ionic Changes, and Cardiovascular Function in Aerated and Anoxic Water

• Published in: Physiological zoology 1985-11, Vol.58 (6), p.670-681
• Main Authors: Herbert, Christine V., Jackson, Donald C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobiosis; Anoxia; Biological and medical sciences; Blood plasma; Diving; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart rate; Lactates; Low temperature; Metabolism; Thermoregulation. Hibernation. Estivation. Ecophysiology and environmental effects; Turtles; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Water temperature
• ISSN: 0031-935X; 1937-4267
• DOI: 10.1086/physzool.58.6.30156071

Pulmonary and nonpulmonary O₂ uptake ($\dotV{o}_{2}$) were measured on freshwater turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) at 3, 10, 15, and 20 C, and these data were related to the physiological responses of turtles to submergence in aerated vs. anoxic water. Total Vo2 increased with temperature with a progressive fall in Qlo from a peak of 8.5 between 3 and 10 C. The contribution of nonpulmonary exchange decreased with temperature from 21% of the total at 3 C to 5% at 20 C. Anaerobic metabolic rate, estimated from the rate of plasma lactate accumulation during anoxic submergence, increased with temperature, and again a high$Q_{10}$value (13.3) was found between 3 and 10 C. At each temperature, anoxic submergence caused a sharp fall in metabolic rate that was most pronounced at 3 C (