Shrinking body size and climate warming: Many freshwater salmonids do not follow the rule

Solokas, Mary A; Feiner, Zachary S.; Al-Chokachy, Robert; Budy, Phaedra; DeWeber, J. Tyrell; Sarvala, Jouko; Sass, Greg G.; Tolentino, Scott; Walsworth, Timothy E.; Jensen, Olaf P.

doi:10.1111/gcb.16626

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Cheung et al (2013) suggested that half of the predicted 'shrinking' in maximum demersal fish body sizes could be driven by species redistributions, which are likely to be substantial. Since mean size relationships with temperature may be either positive or negative at the species-level (Audzijonyte et al, 2020;Solokas et al, 2023), decreasing mean body sizes within trophic guilds are likely to be largely influenced by changing species composition within trophic guilds. Another consideration is that we investigated temperature-body size relationships across space, and not in a fixed location over time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mean reef fish body size decreases towards warmer waters

Coghlan,

Blanchard,

Wotherspoon

et al. 2024

Ecology Letters

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Aquatic ectotherms often attain smaller body sizes at higher temperatures. By analysing ~15,000 coastal‐reef fish surveys across a 15°C spatial sea surface temperature (SST) gradient, we found that the mean length of fish in communities decreased by ~5% for each 1°C temperature increase across space, or 50% decrease in mean length from 14 to 29°C mean annual SST. Community mean body size change was driven by differential temperature responses within trophic groups and temperature‐driven change in their relative abundance. Herbivores, invertivores and planktivores became smaller on average in warmer temperatures, but no trend was found in piscivores. Nearly 25% of the temperature‐related community mean size trend was attributable to trophic composition at the warmest sites, but at colder temperatures, this was <1% due to trophic groups being similarly sized. Our findings suggest that small changes in temperature are associated with large changes in fish community composition and body sizes, with important ecological implications.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mean reef fish body size decreases towards warmer waters

Coghlan,

Blanchard,

Wotherspoon

et al. 2024

Ecology Letters

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“…Declines in species body size are among the main biological responses to climate change (McKenzie et al., 2021; Ohlberger, 2013; Pörtner & Peck, 2010; Scheffers et al., 2016; Sheridan & Bickford, 2011). Evidence for the emergence of climate‐driven trends toward shrinking body sizes remains, however, contentious (e.g., Audzijonyte et al., 2020; Huang, Ding, et al., 2021; Huss et al., 2019; Solokas et al., 2023). Here, based on analyses of scientific survey data gathered during the last three decades, we found a decline in the body size of anchovy in the Bay of Biscay.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shrinking body size of European anchovy in the Bay of Biscay

Taboada,

Chust,

Santos Mocoroa

et al. 2023

Global Change Biology

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Decreased body size is often cited as a major response to ocean warming. Available evidence, however, questions the actual emergence of shrinking trends and the prevalence of temperature‐driven changes in size over alternative drivers. In marine fish, changes in food availability or fluctuations in abundance, including those due to size‐selective fishing, provide compelling mechanisms to explain changes in body size. Here, based on three decades of scientific survey data (1990–2021), we report a decline in the average body size—length and weight—of anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus L., in the Bay of Biscay. Shrinking was evident in all age classes, from juveniles to adults. Allometric adjustment indicated slightly more pronounced declines in weight than in total length, which is consistent with a change toward a slender body shape. Trends in adult weight were nonlinear, with rates accelerating to an average decline of up to 25% decade−1 during the last two decades. We found a strong association between higher anchovy abundance and reduced juvenile size. The effect of density dependence was less clear later in life, and temperature became the best predictor of declines in adult size. Theoretical analyses based on a strategic model further suggested that observed patterns are consistent with a simultaneous, opposing effect of rising temperatures on accelerating early growth and decreasing adult size as predicted by the temperature‐size rule. Macroecological assessment of ecogeographical—Bergmann's and James'—rules in anchovy size suggested that the observed decline largely exceeds intraspecific variation and might be the result of selection. Limitations inherent in the observational nature of the study recommend caution and a continued assessment and exploration of alternative drivers. Additional evidence of a climate‐driven regime shift in the region suggests, however, that shrinking anchovy sizes may signal a long‐lasting change in the structure and functioning of the Bay of Biscay ecosystem.

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“…In contrast, measuring fi sh lengths is low-effort and less expensive, and, as a result, length data are more widely available (Quinn and Deriso 1999 ). Length data are valuable in their own right by providing information on population size structure (Froese 2004 ;Mildenberger et al 2017 ) and long-term changes in body size resulting from environmental change (Oke et al 2020 ;Solokas et al 2023 ). Additionally, ages can be estimated from length and used to inform subsequent calculations (e.g., mortality).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fisheries Volume 49 Number 3 March 2024

2024

Fisheries

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Shrinking body size and climate warming: Many freshwater salmonids do not follow the rule

Cited by 16 publications

References 93 publications

Mean reef fish body size decreases towards warmer waters

Mean reef fish body size decreases towards warmer waters

Shrinking body size of European anchovy in the Bay of Biscay

Fisheries Volume 49 Number 3 March 2024

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