PERU fishing with guts to report…
A group of scientists has discovered that increasing ocean temperatures slows the development of baby fish in the waters near the Ecuador, finding that generates more concerns about the impact of global warming on fish and fisheries in the tropics.
In what is considered the largest study of its kind, researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University examined the effect of increased water temperature on fish larvae.
The team analyzed fish collected more than 2,000 miles of ocean, from the Great Barrier Reef subtropical southern to northern Papua New Guinea, near the Ecuador.
“We found that when ocean temperatures warmed above a certain point as we neared Ecuador, to about 29 degrees, the rate of larval development slowed”Says the study's lead author, Dr. Ian McLeod.
Most marine fish go through a stage of larval development in the open ocean when they are most vulnerable to predators.
Dr. McLeod points out that the longer the larvae remain in this stage, the less likely their survival.
“Faster growth during the larval stage should translate into a survival advantage because they can develop sooner and faster exit dangerous pelagic environment”He explains.
Professor Philip Munday, co-author of the study, believes that the results are worrisome.
“These populations may be particularly vulnerable to global warming”He stresses.
To analyze the early life history of fish, researchers studied the otoliths, or ear stones, forming layers like the rings of a tree as the Fish develops.
“It's like reading your diary. We can learn about their growth rates, the time it takes to develop, can even calculate their size when they settled back into the reef”Says Dr. McLeod.
Professor Geoffrey Jones, also of the Centre of Excellence for Coral adds that the results are a concern for the millions of people living around Ecuador and depend on fishing for food and livelihoods.
“Many people in equatorial regions such as Papua New Guinea, depends on fish as their main source of protein, so these results raise concerns about future food security in these places“Says the scientist.
SOURCE: Fis.com
