Comparative acclimatisation and adaptation physiology of fish exposed to environmental stress

Within this research topic we study the capacity of aquatic organisms to adjust to different environmental conditions (salinity, pH, hypoxia, T°), including pollution. Special attention is paid to the energetic cost of acclimatisation processes and its effect on the overall fitness of the organism involved. These studies can go in depth within one species, but an important part of the research is of comparative nature. We are also interested in the relative importance of physiological acclimatisation and genetic adaptation on the environmental fitness of aquatic organisms, and study effects of habitat fragmentation on population characteristics and physiological fitness of organisms.

Techniques used include measurements of critical swimming speeds and respiration rates, fuel utilisation, energy stores, blood electrolytes, blood gases and acid-base balance, NMR-spectroscopy and imaging, transporter enzymes, induction of protective proteins…