Climate vulnerability of South American freshwater fish: Thermal tolerance and acclimation. Issue 9 (10th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Campos, Derek F.; Amanajás, Renan D.; Almeida‐Val, Vera M. F.; Val, Adalberto L.
• Other Names: Pelster Bernd guestEditor.; Val Adalberto L. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental zoology. Volume 335:Issue 9/10(2021)
• Page Start: 723
• Page End: 734
• Publication Date: 2021-03-10
• Subjects: acclimation response ratio -- habitat vulnerability -- thermal tolerance -- tropical species; Zoology -- Periodicals; Zoology; Animal Population Groups -- physiology; Zoology; Electronic journals; Periodical; Periodicals; 590
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.2452
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2471-5646

Abstract

Abstract: Freshwater fish are restricted by their physiology to rivers and lakes, and are generally limited in their capacity to disperse across basins. As a result, there is often a close match between the evolutionary history of river basins and their natural history. Thus, the regional landscape and ecological features, such as temperature, have shaped the evolution and adaptation of local fish assemblages. Climate change is expected to affect fish diversity and increase extinction, especially in low latitudes, and it has been suggested that species that inhabit low latitude species are more susceptible since they live close to their maximum thermal limits and have low capacity for acclimation. To understand the mechanisms of variation in thermal tolerance across a broad‐scale of South American fishes is fundamental to be able to assess the vulnerability of species and habitat to global warming. Herein, we present the first attempt to analyze the vulnerability of South American freshwater fish species, based on the review of upper thermal limits of 106 species from a broad range of latitudinal habitats. Our findings show that upper thermal limits decrease with latitude, while the thermal safety margin (TSM) increase. Furthermore, the latitude has little effects on the acclimation response ratio, and the TSM decreased with rising temperatures. These data suggest that thermal phenotypic acclimation has low potential for mitigating global warming. These results indicate that South American fish species living in tropical areas are more susceptible to global warming since they are already living close to their maximum habitat temperature. Abstract : The prediction of climate change vulnerability of South American freshwater fish. Highlights: South American tropical fish species are living close to their thermal limits. Short‐term acclimation does not protect against environmental warming. South American tropical fish species are highly vulnerable to climate change.