Gas Exchange in Fish Fish have small surface area to volume ratio High metabolic rate

Ventilation When mouth opens, lowers pressure so oxygenated water rushes in When mouth closes, increases pressure forcing the operculum open so deoxygenated water leaves

Gas Exchange Occurs in the gills Gills are made up of gill filaments o Filaments are stacked up in a pile o Stacks held in place by water o Without water, stacks collapse, reducing surface area for gas exchange so fish cant obtain enough oxygen At right angles to filaments, are gill lamellae which increase surface area of gills

Counter-Current Exchange o o o Flow of water is opposite to flow of blood in gill lamellae Ensures maximum possible gas exchange If water and blood flowed in same direction, less gas exchange would occur Oxygenated blood meets oxygenated water. So diffusion of oxygen into blood due to concentration gradient Blood with little oxygen meets water, which has had most of its oxygen removed, and diffusion into blood takes place due to concentration gradient This means around 80% of oxygen available is absorbed by blood If parallel flow took place then around only 50% would be absorbed as diffusion gradient for only part of the way

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Maintaining diffusion gradient Ventilation: constantly bringing in oxygenated water from mouth and gills removing deoxygenated water Counter-current flow: blooding flowing in lamellae opposite direction to oxygenated water