Which factor limits oxygen extraction efficiency via countercurrent exchange in fish gills?

💡 Explanation

When channeling occurs, fresh water bypasses the gill lamellae because of structural defects, reducing the efficient diffusion caused resulting in suboptimal countercurrent gas exchange. Therefore, by-passing prevents full advantage of the concentration gradients of oxygen, rather than viscosity increase, osmotic disruption, or thermal diffusion which influence different oxygen diffusion steps.

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