The Effects of Enforced Activity On Ventilation, Circulation and Blood Acid-Base Balance in the Aquatic Gill-Less Urodele, <i>Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis</i>; A Comparison with the Semi-Terrestrial Anuran, <i>Bufo Marinus</i>

Abstract

A combined respiratory and metabolic acidosis occurs in the arterial blood immediately following 30 min of strenuous activity in the predominantly skin-breathing urodele, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, and in the bimodal-breathing anuran, Bufo marinus, at 25 degrees C. In Bufo, the bulk of the post-exercise acidosis is metabolic in origin (principally lactic acid) and recovery is complete within 4-8 h. In the salamander, a lower magnitude, longer duration, metabolic acid component and a more pronounced respiratory acidosis prolong the recovery period for up to 22 h post-exercise. It is suggested that fundamental differences between the dominant sites for gas exchange (pulmonary versus cutaneous), and thus in the control of respiratory acid-base balance, may underline the dissimilar patterns of recovery from exercise in these two species.