代谢功率的大小是决定动物生理功能强弱的关键因素。鱼类的代谢功率表现出较大的种内和种间差异，可能会导致其能力（运动和消化）和反捕食策略的分化。据此，申请者提出“基于代谢功率差异的鱼类能力和反捕食策略分化”假说：鱼类代谢功率水平不同导致的运动和消化能力的差异，驱动反捕食策略的分化，并伴随不同的代价和收益。为验证假说，拟选取8～10种鲤科鱼类为研究对象，进行心-鳃系统、能量代谢、运动和消化能力以及反捕食策略的种间对比和相关参数的关联分析。项目研究有望验证假说，并厘清种间水平上鱼类心-鳃系统与能量代谢和能力三者之间的关联，探讨能量代谢在鱼类体型、生活史策略进化等方面的重要作用，具有重要的理论意义。项目成果还可预测水利工程建设等造成的环境变动对鱼类种群产生的影响，对鱼类资源保护发挥重要作用。

Metabolic engine is the key factor to determine physiological performance of animals. The great intra- and inter-species differences in metabolic engine of fish species may result in the differentiations of their capacity (locomotion and digestion) and anti-predator strategies. Here, we put forward the hypothesis of “Metabolic engine dependent differentiations of capacity and anti-predator strategies in fish species”: the differentiations of locomotion and digestion capacity which caused by metabolic engine may lead to the differentiations of anti-predator strategies in fish species, and accompanied by different costs and gains. To test the hypothesis, the heart-gill structure, metabolism, locomotion, digestion, anti-predator strategies as well as their relationships were measured in 8～10 selected cyprinid fish species,. The planed project aims to verify the above mentioned hypothesis, to determine the relationships among heart-gill system, metabolism and physiological capacity in fish species, and to discuss the role of metabolism as a selection agent on evolution of body size and life history strategies. The data yielded from the planed project could also be used to predict the possible effect of hydro project construction on fish species thus has great practical implication in fish species conservation.