Hypoxia impacts large adults first: consequences in a warming world

摘要: Future oceans are predicted to contain less oxygen than at present. This is because soluble in warmer water and stratification will reduce mixing. Hypoxia marine environments thus likely become more widespread understanding species-responses important predicting future impacts on biodiversity. study used a tractable model, the Antarctic clam, Laternula elliptica, which can live for 36 years, has well characterised ecology physiology understand responses hypoxia how effect varied with age. Younger animals had higher condition index, adenylate energy charge transcriptional profiling indicated that they were physically active their response hypoxia, whilst older sedentary, levels of oxidative damage apoptosis gills. These effects could be attributed, part, age-related tissue scaling; proportionally contractile muscle mass smaller gills foot compared younger animals, consequential whole-animal physiological response. The data here emphasize importance including age effects, as large mature individuals appear able resist hypoxic conditions this size range major contributor generations. Thus increased prevalence may have marked benthic organisms abilities persist especially so long-lived species when environmental perturbation.