Water fleas genetically adapt to climate change
In another experiment, the biologists examined whether current populations of the water flea Daphnia can genetically adapt to higher temperatures. “Over the course of two years we exposed a population of water fleas to two temperature treatments: ambient temperature and ambient +4°C. From the sediment of experimental units of both treatment groups we hatched dormant eggs. We then measured the heat tolerance of the water fleas under standardized laboratory conditions. For the water fleas that had been exposed to a heated environment the critical temperature for activity was on average 3.6 degrees higher than for water fleas from the control group.”
The findings indicate that water flea populations can adapt quite rapidly to rising temperatures. The study is the first to show that animal populations can adapt and already have adapted to higher temperatures and increased heat wave frequencies – two results of climate change – by means of evolutionary changes in their heat tolerance.
The capacity for genetic adaption is, however, not enough to guarantee success, Geerts adds: “Climate change may have an impact on other factors as well. The water flea might be exposed to more enemies, less food, or an increased sensitivity to parasites. But our results show that we need to take into account the evolutionary dynamics of a species if we want to predict how it will respond to climate change.”
Original publication
“Rapid evolution of thermal tolerance in the water flea Daphnia”, Nature Climate Change.
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Original publication
“Rapid evolution of thermal tolerance in the water flea Daphnia”, Nature Climate Change.
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