Can marine life adapt to global change?

A team of researchers from the University of Plymouth, the Marine Biological Association of the UK and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory have conducted an exciting new study looking into the potential effect of climate change on marine life, and how marine animals may be able to adapt to future environmental scenarios. Increasing anthropogenic (man-made) carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions over the last two centuries have led to a warming of the Earth’s atmosphere and a subsequent rise in sea surface temperatures. In addition, around one third of this extra CO2 has now entered the planet’s oceans causing the seawater chemistry to change, a process called “Ocean Acidification”. These effects are predicted to worsen over the next few decades. Consequently this recent study, led by Drs Piero Calosi and John Bishop, has looked at the potential impacts on sea life should the temperature and acidity of the oceans increase as is predicted to occur in the near and more distant future. It also investigated whether species have the genetic potential to adapt to the rapid changes currently occurring within the marine environment. Calosi, from the Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre of the University of Plymouth, said: “Ours is the first study showing that marine animals may already possess genetic variation that will enable future adaptation, via natural selection, to falling pH and rising temperature.