Energy budget as a tool to assess the effects of environmental stressors: a study on whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) exposed to variations in salinity and ocean acidification

Our goal was to use the energy budget as a tool to evaluate the effects of salinity (20, 25, 30, 35 or 40‰) and ocean acidification (pH 8.0 or 7.3) in Penaeus vannamei. We assessed the energy budget a range of physiological processes (ingestion, defecation, growth, metabolism, excretion, energy substrate, hepatosomatic index, and osmoregulation). In general, salinity had an accentuated effect than pH, as it altered nearly all physiological parameters, including the energy channeled into growth (up to −56%). Reduced pH also affected the energy budget: increased energy lost in feces (25 and 40‰: +21% and 13%, respectively), excretion (25‰: +55%), and metabolism (20‰: +58%). Furthermore, acidified pH increased oxygen consumption by 60%, which may be related to higher energy expenditure. In conclusion, the energy budget can be a valuable tool for assessing the impacts of environmental stressors and the salinity has an accentuated effect than the ocean acidification predicted.