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Thermal Limits Determination for Zooplankton Using a Heat Block
Published on: November 18, 2022
Thermal sensitivity does not determine acclimation capacity for a tropical reef fish.
Jennifer M Donelson1, Philip L Munday
1ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld. 4811, Australia. jennifer.donelson@my.jcu.edu.au
The Journal of Animal Ecology
|March 22, 2012
Summary
Short-term metabolic responses in tropical reef fish do not predict long-term thermal acclimation ability. Genetic differences between populations influence how well fish acclimate to warming environments.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Ecology
- Physiology
Background:
- Short-term metabolic responses to temperature changes are often used to predict species' sensitivity to warming.
- However, species may acclimate to rising temperatures over time, making short-term responses potentially poor predictors of long-term adaptation.
- Understanding thermal acclimation is crucial for predicting species' responses to climate change.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if short-term metabolic responses predict long-term thermal acclimation ability in the tropical reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus.
- To compare the developmental thermal acclimation capacity of two distinct populations of A. polyacanthus.
Main Methods:
- Measured the short-term resting metabolic rate (RMR) of two A. polyacanthus populations across a temperature gradient.
- Assessed the long-term acclimation ability of RMR in these populations at elevated temperatures.
- Analyzed potential genetic and environmental influences on observed acclimation differences.
Main Results:
- Both populations showed similar short-term metabolic responses to temperature.
- The higher-latitude population demonstrated full acclimation of RMR, while the lower-latitude population showed only partial compensation at the highest temperature.
- Differences in acclimation ability were attributed primarily to genetic variation between populations.
Conclusions:
- Acclimation ability can vary significantly between populations of the same species.
- Genetic divergence plays a key role in determining a population's capacity for thermal acclimation.
- The thermal metabolic reaction norm is not a reliable indicator of long-term acclimation potential, highlighting the need for further research into population-specific adaptive capacities.
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