Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Animal Fertility
Author Information
Author(s): Chatten Amber, Grieve Isobel, Meligoniti Eirini, Hayward Claudia, Pilakouta Natalie
Primary Institution: Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology University of St Andrews
Hypothesis
How does temperature affect the fertility of aquatic animals?
Conclusion
Increased temperature negatively impacts the fertility of aquatic animals, particularly affecting external fertilisers and gametes.
Supporting Evidence
- External fertilisers are more vulnerable to warming than internal fertilisers.
- Increased temperature is particularly harmful to gametes.
- Female fertility can be more sensitive to warming than male fertility under certain conditions.
- Temperature effects on fertility vary based on species characteristics and developmental stages.
Takeaway
When it gets hotter, fish and other aquatic animals might have a harder time having babies, especially if they lay their eggs in water.
Methodology
A meta-analysis was conducted synthesizing 1894 effect sizes from 276 studies on 241 species to examine the effects of temperature on fertility.
Potential Biases
Potential publication bias due to the predominance of studies on marine species.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on ectothermic species and may not generalize to endothermic species.
Participant Demographics
The study included 241 species from various aquatic taxa, primarily ectotherms.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.11
Confidence Interval
[-0.16, 0.02]
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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