Climate change is reducing the size of fish

Fish are no longer what they used to be. Blame for climate change which is reducing the size of marine life. This is not a novelty but a confirmation of the role of global warming on animals

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

I fish they are no longer what they used to be. The fault of the changes climate which are reducing the size of marine life. This is not a novelty but a confirmation of the role of global warming on animals.

According to the new search conducted by scientists of the University of British Columbia, fish size will shrink by 20-30% if ocean temperatures continue to rise at these rates due to climate change.

The study updates the previous estimates and provides a more in-depth explanation of why fish should drop in size.

The fish will not be able to get the oxygen they need to grow. These creatures, like cold-blooded animals, are unable to regulate their body temperature. As ocean waters get warmer, fish metabolism accelerates and requires more oxygen to support its bodily functions. Fish breathe through their gills, which take dissolved oxygen from the water and remove carbon dioxide.

The problem is that the surface of the gills doesn't grow at the same rate as the rest of the body, and warm water contains less oxygen than cooler water.

According to Daniel Pauly, lead author of the study, as fish grow into adulthood their oxygen demand increases because their body mass is greater. However, the surface of the lamellae - from which oxygen is obtained - does not grow at the same rate as the rest of the body.

"There is a point where the gills can't provide enough oxygen for a larger body, so the fish stops growing," he explained. William Cheung, co-author of the study and associate professor of the Ocean and Fisheries, head of the Nippon Foundation – UBC Nereus Program.

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Warmer waters increase the need for oxygen, but climate change will reduce it. Some species will be most affected by this combination of factors. If a fish like cod increases its weight by 100%, its gills could be as high as 80%, scientists explain.

It is even worse for tuna, which needs more oxygen when moving quickly. This fish could see its size reduce by up to 30% for each additional degree.

READ also:

• INTENSIVE FISHING IS SHRINKING FISH
• CLIMATE CHANGE: GLOBAL WARMING SHAKES ANIMALS AND PLANTS

A profound alteration of the natural balance, the consequences of which are not entirely predictable.

Francesca Mancuso