Tropical fish adapt to rising sea temperatures
December 6th, 2011 - 1:04 pm ICT by IANSSydney, Dec 6 (IANS) Some tropical fish, over several generations, seem to have a greater capacity to cope with rising sea temperatures. The discovery comes as a ray of hope amid concerns over the future of coral reefs and their fish in the backdrop of global warming.
The scientists wanted to know how fish would cope with the higher sea temperatures expected by 2050 and 2100, the journal Nature Climate Change reports.
“When we exposed damsel fish to water temperatures 1.5 degrees and 3 degrees Celsius above today’s, there was a marked decline in their aerobic capacity as we’d expected. This affects their ability to swim fast and avoid predators,” explains Jennifer Donelson, study co-author.
“However, when we bred the fish for several generations at higher temperatures, we found that the second generation offspring had almost completely adjusted to the higher temperatures,” adds Donelson from ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
“We were amazed … stunned even. It shows that some species can adjust faster than the rate of climate change,” says Donelson, according to an ARC statement.
“We don’t yet fully understand the mechanisms involved, but it doesn’t seem to be simple Darwinian selection over a couple of generations,” explains team leader Philip Munday, professor at the ARC.
“Instead, there has been a transmission of information between the generations that enables damsel fish to adjust to higher water temperatures,” adds Munday.
A three degree Celsius increase in tropical ocean temperatures is predicted to occur if humanity’s carbon dioxide emissions continue on their current trajectory.
- Warming climate damaging reefs, impacting fish - Jul 11, 2012
- Fish learn to cope with high CO2 in oceans - Jul 03, 2012
- CO2 threatens fish's very survival in oceans - Jan 16, 2012
- Warming will forces fishes to migrate for survival - Nov 06, 2011
- Warming casts shadow over survival of coral reefs - Sep 17, 2012
- Coral reefs will survive ravages of warming: Scientists - Apr 17, 2012
- Study finds how sea urchins affect coral reefs' growth - Jan 15, 2011
- Protect coral reefs, say scientists - Jul 09, 2012
- Parrotfish play vital role in preserving coral reefs - Dec 12, 2011
- 75 percent of world's coral reefs under threat: report - Feb 24, 2011
- More warm, acidic oceans will require greater reef care - Feb 15, 2011
- Global warming could lead small fish to engage in 'risky' behaviour - Jul 07, 2010
- Indo-Pacific corals more resilient than Caribbean twins - Jul 13, 2012
- Sea cucumbers could protect endangered corals - Feb 01, 2012
- Coral reefs can recover from devastating effects of global warming - Jan 09, 2010
Tags: aerobic capacity, carbon dioxide emissions, centre of excellence, climate change reports, co author, coral reef, coral reefs, damsel fish, darwinian selection, generation offspring, journal nature, munday, ray of hope, reef studies, sea temperatures, second generation, trajectory, tropical fish, tropical ocean temperatures, water temperatures