Physiological mechanisms underlying a trade-off between growth rate and tolerance of feed deprivation in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Type Article
Date 2010-04
Language English
Author(s) Dupont-Prinet A.1, 2, Chatain Beatrice3, Grima L.3, 4, Vandeputte Marc4, Claireaux Guy5, McKenzie David1, 2
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Montpellier 2, F-34095 Montpellier 5, France.
2 : Univ Montpellier 2, Inst Sci Evolut Montpellier, CNRS, Stn Mediterraneenne Environm Littoral,UMR 5554, F-34200 Sete, France.
3 : IFREMER, Stn Aquaculture Expt, F-34250 Palavas Les Flots, France.
4 : INRA, UMR Genet Anim & Biol Integrat 1313, F-78350 Jouy En Josas, France.
5 : Univ Europeenne Bretagne, UFR Sci & Tech, ORPHY EA 4324, F-29238 Brest 3, France.
Source Journal Of Experimental Biology (0022-0949) (Company Of Biologists Ltd), 2010-04 , Vol. 213 , N. 7 , P. 1143-1152
DOI 10.1242/jeb.037812
WOS© Times Cited 75
Keyword(s) aerobic scope, compensatory growth, specific dynamic action, specific growth rate, standard metabolic rate
Abstract The specific growth rate (SGR) of a cohort of 2000 tagged juvenile European sea bass was measured in a common tank, during two sequential cycles comprising three-weeks feed deprivation followed by three-weeks ad libitum re-feeding. After correction for initial size at age as fork length, there was a direct correlation between negative SGR (rate of mass loss) during feed deprivation and positive SGR (rate of compensatory growth) during re-feeding (Spearman rank correlation R=0.388, P=0.000002). Following a period of rearing under standard culture conditions, individuals representing 'high growth' phenotypes (GP) and 'high tolerance of feed deprivation' phenotypes (DP) were selected from either end of the SGR spectrum. Static and swimming respirometry could not demonstrate lower routine or standard metabolic rate in DP to account for greater tolerance of feed deprivation. Increased rates of compensatory growth in GP were not linked to greater maximum metabolic rate, aerobic metabolic scope or maximum cardiac performance than DP. When fed a standard ration, however, GP completed the specific dynamic action (SDA) response significantly faster than DP. Therefore, higher growth rate in GP was linked to greater capacity to process food. There was no difference in SDA coefficient, an indicator of energetic efficiency. The results indicate that individual variation in growth rate in sea bass reflects, in part, a trade-off against tolerance of food deprivation. The two phenotypes represented the opposing ends of a spectrum. The GP aims to exploit available resources and grow as rapidly as possible but at a cost of physiological and/or behavioural attributes, which lead to increased energy dissipation when food is not available. An opposing strategy, exemplified by DP, is less 'boom and bust', with a lower physiological capacity to exploit resources but which is less costly to sustain during periods of food deprivation.
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Dupont-Prinet A., Chatain Beatrice, Grima L., Vandeputte Marc, Claireaux Guy, McKenzie David (2010). Physiological mechanisms underlying a trade-off between growth rate and tolerance of feed deprivation in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Journal Of Experimental Biology, 213(7), 1143-1152. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.037812 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00002/11283/