Oxygen consumption of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, in relation to swimming speed and temperature

Abstract

Oxygen consumption was determined for largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, of various sizes in relation to sustained swimming speeds. The logarithm of oxygen consumption for a given swimming speed and temperature increased linearly with the logarithm of weight. Slopes of regressions were considerably less than unity. In general, slopes for different swimming speeds at a given temperature did not differ significantly. The relation between logarithm of oxygen consumption and swimming speed is expressed as a series of parallel, linear regressions for the temperatures followed. For a given swimming speed, oxygen consumption increased with temperature from 10 to 34 C, the highest temperature followed.Active oxygen consumption increased linearly with weight when expressed on a logarithmic grid. At each temperature the slope of the regression approached unity. The logarithm of standard oxygen consumption increased linearly with temperature from 10 to 34 C.The logarithm of maximum sustained swimming speed increased linearly with total length at each temperature. For a given total length, maximum sustained swimming speed increased from 10 to 30 C. Between 30 and 34 C maximum speed decreased.