Animal & Veterinary Sciences

A third generation New Zealand Cantabrian, I graduated BSc Hons in animal physiology from Canterbury University in 1975 and undertook my PhD in Zoology at the same institution. After two years at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver as a postdoctoral fellow I took a position in veterinary anatomy at the veterinary school at Massey University where I stayed for 24 years. I accepted the Chair of Veterinary Anatomy in the School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, in 2005. I needed re-potting. In this position I have responsibility for physiology and anatomy teaching in the veterinary curriculum and contribute to several other courses at Charles Sturt University.

 

top of page ^

Research Interests

I am interested in comparative physiology of cardiovascular systems and have studied marine and freshwater fishes to try to understand evolution and development of hearts to meet a range of environmental and metabolic demands.  The life styles of open-ocean fishes such as tunas, sharks and marlin place unique demands on their hearts associated with their large size, migrations and in some species, warm bodies. Working with these magnificent fishes has inevitably led me to think about the welfare of fish in commercial and recreational fisheries.

• Comparative Cardiac Physiology
• Pelagic Fish Biology
• Fish Welfare

Comparative Cardiac Physiology

I have a continuing interest in comparative cardiovascular physiology. I have been involved in collaborative research into the cardiac physiology of hearts of fish as diverse as hagfish and tunas. Anatomy of hearts of large active fishes such as tuna, marlin and active sharks such as makos shows that the myocardium is divided into an inner spongy layer and an outer compact layer. The inner spongy layer is poorly invested with coronary arteries and is believed to derive nutrients from the venous blood in the lumen. Apportioning of myocardial nutrition between luminal and coronary blood supplies remains to be explored.

Heart shape varies between species from hearts with sharp apexes in birds to rounded almost spherical hearts of whales. The way morphology of the heart affects performance of the heart is a continuing interest of my research.

 

Blank et al 2002 120kb [PDF]

Pelagic Fish Biology 

Striped marlin are one of the top five species targeted by the fisheries off Eastern Australia with annual landings having exceeded 700 mt. They are also targeted by near-shore recreational fishers and are highly prized as a game fish. There is potential therefore for impacts on the existing stock from both the commercial and recreational fisheries, and for confrontation between the two groups that fish them. In a recent review of the available information on this species Bureau of Rural Sciences reported that biologists “knew little about the key age, growth, mortality and reproductive parameters of striped marlin” (Bromhead et al 2004). This lack of information “severely hinders understanding of the species vulnerability to overexploitation and the assessment of stock status, with flow on effects for the ability of fisheries managers to manage this resource”.  

This study, funded by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and DPI Recreational Fishing Trusts, is being undertaken by PhD researcher and CSU scholarship holder Keller Kopf.   Keller is working to define key population parameters of striped marlin such as age and growth and reproductive biology in the eastern Australian Fishing Zone and beyond to support the development of stock assessments for the species which are presently being carried out. We will inform the interpretation of these parameters with distribution and habitat preferences as determined by conventional and satellite tagging being carried out separately to this project. www.tunaresearch.org

Sippel et al 2007  <add link to .pdf in publications>

Bromhead, D., Pepperell, J., Wise, B. and Findlay, J. (2004) Striped marlin: biology and Fisheries. Bureau of Rural Sciences. Canberra. 260pp

Kopf et al 2005 252kb [PDF]

Fish Welfare 

People catch fish for recreation and for food.   Recreational fishing is primarily for pleasure.   I am interested in asking questions about the welfare of fish caught by recreational and other forms of fishing and how to reduce that welfare cost.    This area of research is an interesting interface between science and society and one which is of growing interest to the general public.

Davie and Kopf 2006 247kb [PDF]

Davie and Kopf 2008 123kb [PDF]

 

top of page ^

Publications

Selected publications

• Davie, P.S. 1990. Pacific Marlins:Anatomy and Physiology. 88 page monograph. (I have a few copies left - email me)
• Davie, P.S. 1980. Adrenergic responses of an isolated saline perfused eel tail preparation : alpha constriction and beta dilation. Journal of Experimental Biology 90: 65 84. 1.92mb [PDF]
• Davie, P.S., Perry, S.F., Daxboeck, C., and Randall, D.J. 1982. Gas transfer in a spontaneously ventilating blood perfused trout preparation. Journal of Experimental Biology 101: 17 34. 613kb [PDF]
• Davie, P.S., Davison, W., Forster, M.E.,& Satchell, G.H. 1986. Cardiac function in the New Zealand hagfish Eptatretus cirrhatus. Physiological Zoology 60:233 240.
• Franklin, C.E. and Davie, P.S. 1992. Dimensional analysis of the ventricle of an in situ perfused trout heart using echocardiography. Journal of Experimental Biology 166:47-60. 753kb [PDF]
• Davie, P.S. & Franklin, C.E. 1992. Myocardial oxygen consumption and mechanical efficiency of a perfused dogfish heart preparation. Journal of Comparative Physiology 162:256-262.
• Franklin C.E. and Davie, P.S. (1992) Sexual maturity can double heart mass and cardiac power output in male rainbow trout. Journal of Experimental Biology 171:139-148. 684kb [PDF]

More recent papers

• Davidson, G F., Thorarensen, H.,, Lokman, P.M. and Davie, P.S. 1997. Stress of capture and captivity in kahawai Arripis trutta (Bloch and Schneider). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A-Physiology 118:1405-1410.
• Davidson, G.W., Sheehan, M.K. & Davie, P.S. (1999). The effect of tagging on swimming performance of rainbow trout. Trans. Am. Fish Soc. 128(5):971-973.
• Rogers, C.W., A.S.Davies, D.U. Pfeiffer and P.S.Davie 1999 Temporal changes in the trot between 1st and 3rd horse inspections at a CCI***. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30:254-257.
• Troy SK. Mattlin R. Shaughnessy PD. Davie PS. 1999 Morphology, age and survival of adult male New Zealand fur seals, Arctocephalus forsteri, in South Australia. [Article]. Wildlife Research. 26(1):21-34,
• Davidson, G.W. and Peter S Davie Young, G. and Fowler, R.T. 2000 Physiological responses of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to crowding and anesthesia with Aqui-S. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 31(1):105-114. 84.3kb [PDF]
• Rohr, D.H., Lokman, P.M., Davie P.S. and Young, G. 2001. 11-Ketotestosterone induces silvering-related changes in immature female short-fionned eels, Anguilla asutralis. Comparatve Biochemistry and Physiology A. 130:701-714.
• Davidson, G.W. and Peter Davie. 2001. Mechanical efficiency of an isolated in situ heart preparation from the eel Anguilla australis. Journal of Comparative Physiology A. 128:167-175.
• Blank, J.M., Davie, P.S., Morissette J.M., and Block, B.A 2000. Effects of temperature on cardiac performance in yellowfin tuna. American Zoologist 40:946-946.
• Blank, J.M., Davie, P.SD., Morrissette J.M. and Block B.A. 2001. Effetcs of calcium, epinephrine and temperature on cardiac performance in yellowfin tuna. FASEB Journal 15(4): A89-A89.
• Blank JM, Morrissette JM, Davie PS, Block, B.A. 2002. Effects of temperature, epinephrine and Ca++ on the hearts of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). J EXP BIOL 205 (13): 1881-1888. 120kb [PDF]
• Kopf, R.K., Davie, P S and Holdsworth, J C. 2005 Size trends and growth of striped marlin Tetrapturus audax in the New Zealand recreational fishery. New Zealand Marine and Freshwater Research 39: 1145-1156. 252kb [PDF]
• Davie P.S. and Kopf R.K. 2006. Welfare of fish during recreational fishing and after release. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 54: 161-172. 247kb [PDF]
• Sippel, T., Davie, P., Holdsworth, J., and Block, B. 2007 Striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) movements and habitat utilization recorded by pop-off satellite tags during a summer and autumn in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. Fisheries and Oceanography 16:5 459-472
• Peter S Davie and Richard Keller Kopf. 2008 Phylogeny of Cognitive Development and the Capacity to Suffer Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. Conference Proceedings, 1-3 September, Gold Coast. 123kb [PDF]

 

top of page ^