Impact of ocean warming on a coral reef fish learning and memory [PeerJ]

Tropical ectotherms are highly sensitive to environmental warming, especially coral reef fishes, which are negatively impacted by an increase of a few degrees in ocean temperature. However, much of our understanding on the thermal sensitivity of reef fish is focused on a few traits (e.g., metabolism, reproduction) and we currently lack knowledge on warming effects on cognition, which may endanger decision-making and survival. Here, we investigated the effects of warming on learning and memory in a damselfish species, Acanthochromis polyacanthus. Fish were held at 28–28.5 °C (control group), 30–30.5 °C (moderate warming group) or 31.5–32 °C (high warming group) for 2 weeks, and then trained to associate a blue tag (cue) to the presence of a conspecific (reward). Following 20 training trials (5 days), fish were tested for associative learning (on the following day) and memory storage (after a 5-days interval). The control group A. polyacanthus showed learning of the task and memory retention after five days, but increasing water temperature impaired learning and memory. A thorough understanding of the effects of heat stress, cognition, and fitness is urgently required because cognition may be a key factor determining animals’ performance in the predicted scenario of climate changes. Knowing how different species respond to warming can lead to better predictions of future community dynamics, and because it is species specific, it could pinpoint vulnerable/resilience species.

Effects of climate change on oceans - Wikipedia

Diversity and distribution of Symbiodiniaceae detected on coral

Historical baselines of coral cover on tropical reefs as estimated

Ocean warming and acidification uncouple calcification from

Historical baselines of coral cover on tropical reefs as estimated

PDF) Impact of ocean warming on a coral reef fish learning and memory

Fishing and pollution regulations don't help corals cope with

Diversity, Free Full-Text

Coral reefs and climate change - resource

Adaptive responses of fishes to climate change: Feedback between

Sensors, Free Full-Text

Impacts of historical warming on marine fisheries production

Water column contributions to coral reef productivity: overcoming

Warming Oceans Impact Reef Fish Learning and Memory

Sustained productivity and the persistence of coral reef fisheries