News about global warming seems to be dominating the media even moreso than usual (record high temperatures, Exxon’s Big Tobacco-like cover-up, and how warming influences climate patterns). As if that wasn’t enough, a new study indicates that climate change affects fish populations.

A study led by Hans Pörtner of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany shows a link between rising sea temperatures and declining fish populations. This is big news, since Pörtner’s is the first study to show how climate changes affect fish physiologically (say that five times fast!). 

Pörtner studied the eelpout fish, which is native to the chilly waters of the North and Baltic Seas. Researchers found that a rise in sea temperature reduces the fish’s oxygen supply, causing populations to decline. Temperatures in the North Sea rose about 1°C in the past 40 years, and are expected to rise another 4°C during the next century.

From a New Scientist article:

The oxygen deficiency first affects the swimming performance of the fish, which exposes it to predatory attack. Second, its growth and reproduction is reduced. Ultimately, the fish’s oxygen supply fails altogether and it dies, with the larger fish succumbing first.

The eelpout study will be used to study how other marine species in the North Sea region are affected by climate change as well:

While some organisms are better than others at adapting, all marine organism live in a certain temperature band and are vulnerable to change, Pörtner says. This is especially true for polar species, which have adapted to live at a constant low temperature.

We’re sure you’re probably thinking “Alright already, I get it, global warming is dreadful, horrific, terrible, and so forth.” But we won’t shut up about it until things change for the better.

Posted by Sarah Parsons on Jan 9, 2007 at 1:48 PM
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