More fish sperm in warm waters
Image of a male mosquito fish Image: The University of New South Wales Warmer water temperatures can greatly increase the reproductive capacity of the widely distributed pest fish species gambusia, or mosquito fish, a new study has found.Male gambusia exposed to high water temperatures produce about three times more sperm than those kept in much colder water, says a team of researchers led by Dr Bart Adriaenssens, of the UNSW Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, in the journal Global Change Biology. As well, the sperm of the males in the warm-water group had faster swimming speeds.The study is the first to show that exposing adult fish to different temperatures changes the quantity and quality of the sperm they produce. The finding may have significant implications for the fertility of fish populations in response to climate change, the researchers say.“Hundreds of studies have examined how whole organisms can modify their physiology and behaviour...