School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, MSc, PhD

Antarctic fish: Cold water specialists or adaptable generalists?

The aim of the project is to examine the ability of Antarctic notothenioid fish to acclimate to elevated temperatures. It will focus on one aspect of the physiology of fish, that of oxygen uptake and its use by the tissues of the body. Using a variety of techniques from whole animal physiology down to looking at the activities of individual molecules, this work will determine how important respiration is to the metabolic changes needed for successful acclimation.

Publications
Robinson, E. 2008.  Antarctic fish: thermal specialists or adaptable generalists? PhD, University of Canterbury.

Robinson, E. and Davison, W. 2008. The Antarctic notothenioid fish Pagothenia borchgrevinki is thermally flexible: acclimation changes oxygen consumption.Polar Biology 31: 317-326.

Robinson,  E. and Davison, W. Antarctic fish can survive prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. Journal of fish biology 73: 1676-1689 2008. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.02041.x

Robinson, E., Egginton, S., Davison, W. Warm-induced bradycardia and cold-induced tachycardia: mechanisms of cardiac and ventilatory control in a warm-acclimated Antarctic fish. Polar biology 2010. doi: 10.1007/s00300-010-0891-z