Fish shrinking, energy balance and climate change

Queiros, Quentin; McKenzie, David J.; Dutto, Gilbert; Killen, Shaun; Saraux, Claire; Schull, Quentin

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167310

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Specifically, experimental evidence has questioned the ability of fishes to significantly increase absolute energy intake at elevated temperatures, even if available to the individual, due to an inability to ramp up evolutionarily determined maximal predation rates: For instance, predatory fishes which typically deploy a feast and famine approach to foraging 110 , may be forced to reduce meal sizes to protect aerobic scope due to the exponential costs associated with digestion of large prey 34 , 52 , 111 – 113 , and may be unable to significantly increase capture rates of (smaller) prey 86 , thereby placing a natural upper limit to energy acquisition. Indeed, recent empirical work have shown 2–3-fold increases in energy expenditure needed to capture smaller prey and suggested that this bottom-up effect may help explain patterns of shrinking in wild fishes 114 , 115 . Similarly, continuous grazers such as herbivorous reef fishes typically spend the majority of their waking time foraging under current day temperatures (some more than 80% 116 – 118 ), likely hindering a further 20–40% increase in foraging effort and energy acquisition to match warming-induced metabolic demands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of ocean warming on fish size reductions on the world’s hottest coral reefs

Johansen,

Mitchell,

Vaughan

et al. 2024

Nat Commun

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The impact of ocean warming on fish and fisheries is vigorously debated. Leading theories project limited adaptive capacity of tropical fishes and 14-39% size reductions by 2050 due to mass-scaling limitations of oxygen supply in larger individuals. Using the world’s hottest coral reefs in the Persian/Arabian Gulf as a natural laboratory for ocean warming - where species have survived >35.0 °C summer temperatures for over 6000 years and are 14-40% smaller at maximum size compared to cooler locations - we identified two adaptive pathways that enhance survival at elevated temperatures across 10 metabolic and swimming performance metrics. Comparing Lutjanus ehrenbergii and Scolopsis ghanam from reefs both inside and outside the Persian/Arabian Gulf across temperatures of 27.0 °C, 31.5 °C and 35.5 °C, we reveal that these species show a lower-than-expected rise in basal metabolic demands and a right-shifted thermal window, which aids in maintaining oxygen supply and aerobic performance to 35.5 °C. Importantly, our findings challenge traditional oxygen-limitation theories, suggesting a mismatch in energy acquisition and demand as the primary driver of size reductions. Our data support a modified resource-acquisition theory to explain how ocean warming leads to species-specific size reductions and why smaller individuals are evolutionarily favored under elevated temperatures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of ocean warming on fish size reductions on the world’s hottest coral reefs

Johansen,

Mitchell,

Vaughan

et al. 2024

Nat Commun

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“…Nonetheless, sardines from the Mediterranean Sea have shown a drastic decline in body condition, size and life expectancy in the past two decades (Saraux et al, 2019). The major driver proposed is the shift of sardine diet towards smaller planktonic prey observed in the Gulf of Lions due to multi-factorial environmental changes (Feuillolley et al 2020, Brosset et al, 2016), leading to lower foraging efficiency and a reallocation trade-off toward reproduction instead of survival (Beauvieux et al, 2022; Queiros et al, 2019, 2024). Consequently, individuals at the end of the reproduction period may rely on low energetic reserves to survive the end of the winter period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular response to multiple trace element contamination of the European sardine

Beauvieux,

Fromentin,

Saraux

et al. 2024

Preprint

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In marine ecosystems, the presence of trace elements resulting from anthropogenic activities has raised concerns regarding their potential effects on marine organisms. This study delves into the intricate relationship between trace element contamination and the physiological responses of a key marine species in the Mediterranean Sea: the European sardine. Since 2008, this species has been experiencing a significant crisis in the region, prompting numerous studies to investigate the potential factors behind the dramatic decline in sardines size, age, and body condition. However, thorough information on chemical contamination by trace elements and its physiological impact on this species was lacking. We found evidence for the accumulation of multiple elements in sardines, with a light East-West contamination gradient within the Gulf of Lions. While macro-physiological parameters (i.e. body condition) were not affected by contamination, pathways involved in cellular organization and response to stress were clearly upregulated, particularly in the liver, but also in muscle. In addition, a global upregulation in processes linked to the immune system, lipid homeostasis and oxidative stress was recorded in the liver. The associated energetic cost may add a substantial burden to sardines that already face multi-factorial constraints. This study also allows to pinpoint biomarkers of exposure and effects that may be important for monitoring Mediterranean sardine health. The results of this study and particularly the complex changes in protein expression demonstrate the need for future studies to test the concomitant effects of multiple stressors acting simultaneously, including large scale contamination.

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Forecasting China’s carbon emission intensity and total carbon emissions based on the WOA-Stacking integrated model

Guo,

Ma,

Duan

et al. 2024

Environ Dev Sustain

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Fish shrinking, energy balance and climate change

Cited by 6 publications

References 74 publications

Impacts of ocean warming on fish size reductions on the world’s hottest coral reefs

Impacts of ocean warming on fish size reductions on the world’s hottest coral reefs

Molecular response to multiple trace element contamination of the European sardine

Forecasting China’s carbon emission intensity and total carbon emissions based on the WOA-Stacking integrated model

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