Physiological constraints to climate warming in fish follow principles of plastic floors and concrete ceilings

Abstract

Understanding the resilience of aquatic ectothermic animals to climate warming has been hindered by the absence of experimental systems experiencing warming across relevant timescales (for example, decades). Here, we examine European perch (Perca fluviatilis, L.) from the Biotest enclosure, a unique coastal ecosystem that maintains natural thermal fluctuations but has been warmed by 5-10 °C by a nuclear power plant for over three decades. We show that Biotest perch grow faster and display thermally compensated resting cardiorespiratory functions compared with reference perch living at natural temperatures in adjacent waters. However, maximum cardiorespiratory capacities and heat tolerance limits exhibit limited or no thermal compensation when compared with acutely heated reference perch. We propose that while basal energy requirements and resting cardiorespiratory functions (floors) are thermally plastic, maximum capacities and upper critical heat limits (ceilings) are much less flexible and thus will limit the adaptive capacity of fishes in a warming climate.

Published in

Nature Communications
2016, volume: 7, article number: 11447

SLU Authors

• Gräns, Albin

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Brijs, Jeroen

  • University of Gothenburg

• Odelström, Anne

  • Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Adill, Anders

  • Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Aho, Teija

  • Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG13 Climate action
SDG14 Life below water

UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11447

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/77654