Current location:sport >>
Climate change risks for fish across world: UW researchers
sport89People have gathered around
IntroductionIn the first analysis of how vulnerable the world's freshwater and marine fishes are to climate chan ...
In the first analysis of how vulnerable the world's freshwater and marine fishes are to climate change, researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have found that sensitivity to temperature changes varied greatly between ocean-dwelling and freshwater fish.
Using physiological data to predict how fish species living in oceans and rivers will respond to warming water temperatures in different regions, the researchers reported in Nature Climate Change that marine fish in the tropics and freshwater fish in higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere were the most at risk when water temperatures warmed.
With years of data and relying on the fact that many fish species are taxonomically related and tend to share the same thermal limits, the researchers were able to predict the breaking-point temperature for close to 3,000 species. Regional patterns then emerged when those data were paired with climate-model data predicting temperature increases under climate change.
For example, fish in the tropical oceans are already living in water that is approaching the upper range of their tolerance, according to the researchers. They might not have much wiggle room when temperatures increase slightly. By contrast, in freshwater streams in the far north, fish are accustomed to cooler water temperatures but have much less tolerance for warming waters.
Since the effects of climate change are acutely felt in high latitudes, this doesn't bode well for fish in those streams that have a small window for survivable temperatures.
Fish will either migrate, adapt or die off as temperatures continue to warm, the researchers explained.
Given past evolutionary rates of critical thermal limits, it is unlikely that fish will be able to keep up with the rate at which temperatures are increasing, said senior author Julian Olden, a UW professor of aquatic and fishery sciences. The ability to move, then, is imperative for fish that live in the most critical areas identified in this analysis.
Dams and other infrastructure may block fish from getting where they might need to be in the future; fish ladders and other means to allow fish to circumvent these barriers could be more readily used, although the effectiveness of these structures is highly variable. And actions to restore vegetation along the edges of streams and lakes can help shade and reduce water temperature for the benefit of fish.
"Nowhere on Earth are fish spared from having to cope with climate change," Olden said in a news release from UW. "Fish have unique challenges - they either have to make rapid movements to track their temperature requirements, or they will be forced to adapt quickly."
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Global Gazette news portal”。http://timor-leste.arnoldview.org/html-28c499927.html
Related articles
Trump accepts a VP debate but wants it on Fox News. Harris has already said yes to CBS
sportNEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump said Friday his campaign has accepted an invitation from Fox News for h ...
【sport】
Read moreVision China highlights crucial role of science and technology
sportGuest speakers interact with each other during the Vision China event on Monday in Wuhan, Hubei prov ...
【sport】
Read moreFrench president visits NW China's Xi'an
sportFrench President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausol ...
【sport】
Read more
Popular articles
- Ship that caused Baltimore bridge collapse has been refloated
- Xi Meets President of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies
- China's EV success due to globalization, good quality, cost control, not subsidy: FM spokesperson
- Scenery of Band
- Rangers are undefeated at .500 to keep World Series champs from a losing record with Bochy
- Xi Meets Greek Prime Minister
Latest articles
Ship that caused Baltimore bridge collapse has been refloated
Simplified payments to facilitate foreign visitors
CRCC equipment renewal campaign spurring growth of circular economy
World Smile Day marked across China
Yu Darvish extends scoreless innings streak to 25 in Padres' 9
Xi Meets Sri Lankan President
LINKS
- Xi Focus: Sci
- Citizens in Yinchang enjoyed outdoor skiing during the Spring Festival holiday
- Red sea crisis highlights vital role of China
- Creations of Laurèl staged at China Fashion Week
- Explainer: Learn About China from Continuity of Chinese Civilization
- Comicomment
- Guizhou mountain tourism is peak treat
- Red sea crisis highlights vital role of China
- China unifies medicine catalog covered by medical insurance
- Tourism revives millennia