Global assessment of the response to chronic stress in European sea bass
Abstract
Stress modifies energy allocation in fishes by redirecting energy from growth and reproduction to coping
mechanisms. However, these adjustments become inappropriate when the challenge consists of sustained or
repeated stressors, with the animal entering a maladaptive state. Capacities to cope with additional threats are
then altered and compromise survival. The characterization of the responses to chronic stress in fishes helps
better understanding the physiological limits in an aquaculture or ecological context. Here, we investigate the
coping capacities of European sea bass to multiple and diverse stressors applied over a 3-weeks period. Multiple
behavioural (group dispersion and swimming activity) and physiological responses (blood cortisol, osmoregulatory
mechanisms, stress-related gene expression, etc.) were evaluated in resting fish or in fish exposed to
additional challenges. Resilience to the chronic stress protocol was evaluated 4 months after the end of the
chronic stress. Chronically stressed individuals showed reduced growth, lower cortisol response, increased
chloride and sodium concentration in the plasma and modified gill gene expression translating osmoregulatory
dysfunctions. Chronic stress had no significant effect on plasmatic calcium, lysozyme concentration and osmotic
pressure. Increased thigmotaxic behaviour was observed in a new environment behavioural test. Four months
after the chronic stress, no significant difference was observed in growth performances and in plasma parameters.
Altogether, gills and more generally osmoregulatory functions were found to be the most sensitive to the
chronic stress, while only limited changes in growth, activity of the HPI axis, immunity and swimming behaviour
were observed when assessed individually. This work demonstrates the necessity of using multiple and diverse
endpoints related to different functions to properly assess health and welfare in fishes.