During his PhD studies, Magnus investigated the gas-exchange of air-breathing fish to both water and air. The gas-exchange partitioning is especially interesting in hypoxic water since these fish risk losing oxygen taken up from the air into the hypoxic water (branchial oxygen loss). This branchial oxygen loss was studied in three different air-breathing fish species with large differences in both lifestyles and gill size, which helped elucidate the adaptations evolved to combat this oxygen loss. 

The new research findings elucidate the extent of the branchial O₂ loss and contribute to the understanding of the adaptations used to mitigate an oxygen loss such as reduced gills or flow separation of oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood.

The PhD study was completed at the Section for Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday, 26^th of September 2024 at 13:00.
Place: Building 1223, room 153, Biologiens Hus, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 5, 8000 Aarhus C.
Title of PhD thesis: Branchial O₂ loss and gas-exchange partitioning in air-breathing fish
Contact information: Magnus Lerche Aaskov, e-mail: magnus.aaskov@bio.au.dk, tel.: +45 53201993

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Colin J. Brauner, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Canada.

Professor David J. McKenzie, UMR Marine Biodiversity, Exploitation, and Conservation, Université Montpellier, France.

Professor Andreas Schramm (chair), Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark

Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Mark Bayley, Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C