Effects of climate-induced changes in the temperate coastal environment on the species composition of commercially important fishes

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K07529
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aquatic bioproduction science
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Yohei 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系黒潮圏科学部門, 准教授 (60530483)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 地球温暖化 / 魚類相 / 沿岸環境変化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ocean warming has led to the expansion of coral habitat and shifts in the species composition of fish assemblages on temperate rocky reefs. To clarify the mechanisms involved in these processes, the dependence of temperate and tropical fishes on different substrates (rock and coral) and the winter water temperature tolerance of tropical fishes were investigated in Kochi Prefecture, western Japan, through field observations and laboratory experiments. The results suggested that the change in substrate type from rock to coral was a major driver for the shift in species composition from temperate to tropical fish species, and that the winter water temperature tolerance of tropical fishes is a key factor that has allowed their populations to establish on temperate reefs.

Free Research Field

魚類生態学