Local Adaptation In Brown Trout Early Life-History Traits: Implications For Climate Change Adaptability

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary;  Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 27 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The ability of organisms to adapt to global warming is an issue of concern. Four brown trout populations in Denmark were studied, which spawn in rivers experiencing different temperature conditions during the time of incubation of eggs and embryos.

By rearing fry from the populations in a common environmental setting, we demonstrated that they were genetically adapted to temperature conditions in their home rivers at ecologically important juvenile traits. Populations adapted to low temperatures are expected to be particularly negatively affected by climate change.

On the other hand, the results show that genetic variation exists in brown trout that may enable adaptation to future climate change by evolution.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences