1086 / 2024-09-20 11:23:31

Impacts of Climate-Driven Temperature Rise on Brackish Water Fishes: A Comprehensive Literature Review

climate,ichthyofauna,lagoons,estuaries,food-web

Session 59 - Impacts of Climate and Biogeochemical Extremes on Marine Organisms and Ecosystems

Brackish water fishes play pivotal roles in providing ecological balance and economic services, yet they face imminent challenges due to escalating atmospheric temperatures resulting from ongoing climate change. This study emphasizes the necessity of an updated literature review to consolidate existing knowledge on the subject. The comprehensive survey conducted highlights the potential repercussions of rising temperatures on these species, where increased environmental temperatures can significantly influence their body temperature regulation. The findings indicate a spectrum of effects, including diminished growth, altered behaviors, compromised immune capabilities, disrupted foraging and competitive actions among fish species already operating at the upper limits of their temperature tolerance. Furthermore, the implications extend to induced migrations towards colder, high-latitude waters, degradation of migration pathways for diadromous fishes, increased potential for invasive species colonization, species-specific impacts on abundance, and multifaceted impacts on life processes such as growth, reproduction, oxygen consumption, and predator avoidance. While predominantly negative, the study identifies instances of potential positive outcomes, such as heightened growth in select crab species and advantageous border temperature tolerances observed in fish juveniles. However, the severity of these predicted impacts varies based on the extent of temperature escalation, water depth, physicochemical parameters, affected faunal species, life stage of the organism, ontogenetic variations, and the geographical region of the brackish waterbody. This research underscores the urgency of understanding and mitigating the multifaceted impacts of temperature-induced changes on brackish water ecosystems, as well as the imperative need for proactive conservation strategies to safeguard these vulnerable aquatic habitats.