Media Release: Baby fish lose poisonous protectors in acidified oceans
A common close partnership which sees baby fish sheltering from predators among the poisonous tentacles of jellyfish will听be harmed under predicted ocean acidification, a new 成人大片 study has found.
[caption id="attachment_10515" align="alignnone" width="300"] Credit: James Brook[/caption]
Published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the researchers say that modification of this baby fish-jellyfish symbiotic relationship is likely to lead to higher mortality among the affected fish species which include some of听the common commercial fish. A well-known example of marine symbiosis is the relationship between anemones and听clown-fish, popularised in the animated movie, Finding Nemo.
鈥淭hese intricate, interdependent relationships between different species鈹symbioses鈹are common in both the marine and听terrestrial environments,鈥 says study leader Associate Professor , in the 成人大片鈥檚听Environment Institute.
鈥淏ut, apart from the well-known relationship between coral and microalgae and what happens during a bleaching event,听little is known about how climate change and predicted ocean acidification will affect such relationships.
鈥淭his is the first study that demonstrates how climate change will disturb such a symbiotic relationship between two听animals that interact closely for survival.鈥
The juvenile fish of about 80 different species, including important commercial varieties such as pollock, jacks and听trevallies, form symbiotic relationships with jellyfish.
The jellyfish blooms are an ideal protective habitat for the baby fish, which would otherwise be unprotected in the open听oceans where they are at high risk of being eaten by bigger fish and other marine life. Only one species of fish has known听immunity to the jellyfish venom. Somehow the baby fish avoid the poisonous tentacles of the jellyfish while swimming听among them, while other species stay well away.
The relationship is not straightforward however 鈥 sometimes the jellyfish will eat the baby fish. Despite this, the survival听odds of the baby fish seem to be increased when sheltering with the jellyfish.
The researchers studied the actions of juvenile fish in an aquarium under high CO 2 conditions. Compared to the control听group, they spent much less time with the jellyfish host (about three times less), while only 63% (compared to 86%)听initiated any relationship at all.
The research is in collaboration with Associate Professor Kylie Pitt at Griffith University. 鈥淪helter is not widely available in听open water so juvenile fish rely on the jellyfish for protection against predators,鈥 says Associate Professor Pitt. 鈥淎s shelter听providers, the jellyfish could play a role in enhancing the populations of these fish species. Changing ocean conditions are听likely to have significant negative impacts on this relationship and therefore, fish populations.鈥
This research has been featured in .
Media Contact:听Associate Professor Ivan Nagelkerken.
Phone: +61 8 8313 4137,
Mobile: +61 (0)477 320 551,
ivan.nagelkerken@adelaide.edu.au
Robyn Mills, Media Officer.
Phone: +61 8 8313 6341,
Mobile: +61 (0)410 689 084,
robyn.mills@adelaide.edu.au
[caption id="attachment_10515" align="alignnone" width="300"] Credit: James Brook[/caption]
Published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the researchers say that modification of this baby fish-jellyfish symbiotic relationship is likely to lead to higher mortality among the affected fish species which include some of听the common commercial fish. A well-known example of marine symbiosis is the relationship between anemones and听clown-fish, popularised in the animated movie, Finding Nemo.
鈥淭hese intricate, interdependent relationships between different species鈹symbioses鈹are common in both the marine and听terrestrial environments,鈥 says study leader Associate Professor , in the 成人大片鈥檚听Environment Institute.
鈥淏ut, apart from the well-known relationship between coral and microalgae and what happens during a bleaching event,听little is known about how climate change and predicted ocean acidification will affect such relationships.
鈥淭his is the first study that demonstrates how climate change will disturb such a symbiotic relationship between two听animals that interact closely for survival.鈥
The juvenile fish of about 80 different species, including important commercial varieties such as pollock, jacks and听trevallies, form symbiotic relationships with jellyfish.
The jellyfish blooms are an ideal protective habitat for the baby fish, which would otherwise be unprotected in the open听oceans where they are at high risk of being eaten by bigger fish and other marine life. Only one species of fish has known听immunity to the jellyfish venom. Somehow the baby fish avoid the poisonous tentacles of the jellyfish while swimming听among them, while other species stay well away.
The relationship is not straightforward however 鈥 sometimes the jellyfish will eat the baby fish. Despite this, the survival听odds of the baby fish seem to be increased when sheltering with the jellyfish.
The researchers studied the actions of juvenile fish in an aquarium under high CO 2 conditions. Compared to the control听group, they spent much less time with the jellyfish host (about three times less), while only 63% (compared to 86%)听initiated any relationship at all.
The research is in collaboration with Associate Professor Kylie Pitt at Griffith University. 鈥淪helter is not widely available in听open water so juvenile fish rely on the jellyfish for protection against predators,鈥 says Associate Professor Pitt. 鈥淎s shelter听providers, the jellyfish could play a role in enhancing the populations of these fish species. Changing ocean conditions are听likely to have significant negative impacts on this relationship and therefore, fish populations.鈥
This research has been featured in .
Media Contact:听Associate Professor Ivan Nagelkerken.
Phone: +61 8 8313 4137,
Mobile: +61 (0)477 320 551,
ivan.nagelkerken@adelaide.edu.au
Robyn Mills, Media Officer.
Phone: +61 8 8313 6341,
Mobile: +61 (0)410 689 084,
robyn.mills@adelaide.edu.au
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