Tiny fish evolved to survive colder temperatures in 3yrs: Study
August 5th, 2010 - 2:22 pm ICT by ANIWashington, August 5 (ANI): University of British Columbia researchers have observed that in just three years, stickleback fish developed tolerance for water temperature 2.5 degrees Celsius lower than their ancestors.
This find proves that evolution may help populations survive effects of climate change.
“This made sense from an evolutionary perspective because their ancestors were able to adapt to freshwater lakes, which typically reach colder temperatures than the ocean,” said Rowan Barrett.
Barrett and colleagues simulated history by transplanting marine sticklebacks to freshwater ponds and found that in as little as three generations (or three years), they were able to tolerate the same minimum temperature as freshwater sticklebacks.
“However, this rapid adaptation is not achieved without a cost,” Barrett said.
“Only rare individuals that possess the ability to tolerate rapid changes in temperature survive, and the number of survivors may not be large enough to sustain the population,” he added.
“It is crucial that knowledge of evolutionary processes is incorporated into conservation and management policy.”
The study is published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. (ANI)
- Fish loses armour to survive in freshwater lake - Aug 29, 2008
- Now climate change threatens Antarctica fish - Feb 14, 2012
- First-ever 'wanderlust gene' in tiny bony fish found - Aug 05, 2009
- Wanderlust gene isolated in tiny fish - Aug 05, 2009
- Bison bones show adaptability to climate change - Feb 01, 2012
- Scientists recreate billion-year-old enzyme - Nov 01, 2011
- Some snails evolved 'counter-coil' to evade predators' uneven bite - Dec 08, 2010
- Now, a 'crystal ball' to predict the effects of climate change - Aug 06, 2010
- Warming Antarctic alters penguin breeding cycles - Mar 22, 2012
- Ecology shapes evolution, but reverse also holds true - Feb 05, 2010
- Multiple approaches needed to solve world's food problems - Feb 19, 2011
- Plants depend on circadian rhythms to survive freezing weather - Apr 13, 2011
- Species have to continue evolving to survive - Feb 26, 2010
- Warmer waters prime fish species for more sperm - Apr 11, 2012
- Wolverines to vanish due to climate change? - Feb 09, 2011
Tags: adaptation, ancestors, columbia researchers, current issue, effects of climate change, evolutionary perspective, evolutionary processes, management policy, minimum temperature, ponds, proceedings of the royal society, proceedings of the royal society b, rapid changes, rare individuals, rowan barrett, sticklebacks, three generations, tiny fish, university of british columbia, water temperature