Environmental changes affecting physiological responses and growth of hybrid grouper - The interactive impact of low pH and temperature

Yusnita A Thalib; Ros Suhaida Razali; Suhaini Mohamad; Rabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Zainuddin; Sharifah Rahmah; Mazlan Abd Ghaffar; Hua Thai Nhan; Hon Jung Liew

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116375

Environmental changes affecting physiological responses and growth of hybrid grouper - The interactive impact of low pH and temperature

Environ Pollut. 2021 Feb 15:271:116375. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116375. Epub 2020 Dec 24.

Authors

Yusnita A Thalib¹, Ros Suhaida Razali¹, Suhaini Mohamad¹, Rabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Zainuddin¹, Sharifah Rahmah², Mazlan Abd Ghaffar³, Hua Thai Nhan⁴, Hon Jung Liew⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
² Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
³ Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁴ College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Viet Nam.
⁵ Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 232 Hesong St, Daoli District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150070, China. Electronic address: honjung@umt.edu.my.

PMID: 33422747
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116375

Abstract

Rising of temperature in conjunction with acidification due to the anthropogenic climates has tremendously affected all aquatic life. Small changes in the surrounding environment could lead to physiological constraint in the individual. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effects of warm water temperature (32 °C) and low pH (pH 6) on physiological responses and growth of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂) juveniles for 25 days. Growth performance was significantly affected under warm water temperature and low-pH conditions. Surprisingly, the positive effect on growth was observed under the interactive effects of warm water and low pH exposure. Hybrid grouper exposed to the interactive stressor of warm temperature and low pH exhibited higher living cost, where HSI content was greatly depleted to about 2.3-folds than in normal circumstances. Overall, challenge to warm temperature and low pH induced protein mobilization as an energy source followed by glycogen and lipid to support basal metabolic needs.

Keywords: Acidification; Aquaculture; Climate change; Physiology; Stress.

MeSH terms

Animals
Bass*
Glycogen
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Temperature

Substances

Glycogen