Effects of Exhausting Exercise on Acid-Base Regulation in Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) Blood

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Abstract
The effects of exhausting exercise on acid-base balance of skipjack tuna blood were investigated. Following exercise, tuna displayed a mixed respiratory/metabolic acidosis with blood pH being reduced by ∼0.4 units. The respiratory component (51% of the initial acidosis) was compensated following 20 min of recovery, while the blood metabolic acid load (H⁺m; ∼8 mM) was cleared after only 50 min. At that time, there was a great discrepancy between blood lactate load and H⁺m load because blood lactate levels were still increasing. The significance of these results is discussed with reference to the tuna's habitat, behavior, and physiology.