Summary
Effects of temperature acclimation (5 or 25 °C for 2–4 weeks) and metamorphosis on oxygen uptake, acid-base balance and blood-O2 affinity have been investigated inAmbystoma tigrinum. The results differ from previous studies in three ways. (1) The transition from gilled to gill-less adults had no effect on the O2 affinity of blood. (2) Cold acclimation increased blood O2 affinity in neotenes and had no effect in adults. (3) O2 uptake increased, rather than decreased, after acclimation to a higher temperature. The results resemble previous studies also in three ways. (1) O2 uptake increased with the transition from gilled-neotenes to gill-less adults as did the dependence on air-breathing. (2) Metamorphosis resulted in CO2 retention and a fall in arterial pH. (3) The temperature coefficient of blood pH was about −0.014dpH/dT in vivo and in vitro. The physiological significance of the results is discussed with respect to the natural history, modes of breathing, and dependance on aerial respiration ofAmbystoma tigrinum.
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Burggren, W.W., Wood, S.C. Respiration and acid-base balance in the salamander,Ambystoma tigrinum: Influence of temperature acclimation and metamorphosis. J Comp Physiol B 144, 241–246 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00802762
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00802762