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The physiological ups and downs of thermal variability in temperate freshwater ecosystems
Author(s) -
Morash Andrea J.,
SpeersRoesch Ben,
Andrew Sean,
Currie Suzanne
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.14655
Subject(s) - temperate climate , freshwater ecosystem , biology , ectotherm , ecosystem , ecology , climate change , range (aeronautics) , population , critical thermal maximum , freshwater fish , fish <actinopterygii> , acclimatization , fishery , materials science , demography , sociology , composite material
Freshwater fish face a variety of spatiotemporal thermal challenges throughout their life. On a broad scale, temperature is an important driver of physiological, behavioural and ecological patterns and ultimately affects populations and overall distribution. These broad patterns are partly underpinned by the small‐scale local effects of temperature on individuals within the population. Climate change is increasing the range of daily thermal variation in most freshwater ecosystems, altering behaviour and performance of resident fishes. The aim of this review is understanding how daily thermal variation in temperate rivers affects individual fish physiology, behaviour and overall performance. The following are highlighted in this study: (a) the physical characteristics of rivers that can either buffer or exacerbate thermal variability, (b) the effects of thermal variability on growth and metabolism, (c) the approaches for quantifying thermal variation and thermal stress and (d) how fish may acclimatize or adapt to our changing climate.