Is metabolism a red herring when predicting fish responses to climate change?
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Ocean and Earth Science
Abstract
Rationale:
Metabolic rate is the rate at which an animal takes in energy and uses it for survival, growth and reproduction. Some scientists suggest that metabolic rate can be used to explain everything in ecology, including individual life histories, species distributions, and how ecosystems respond to climate change. This project will explore this exciting idea in marine fishes.
Often metabolic studies use basal metabolic rate (BMR), measured when the animal is inactive. Animals in the wild may behave very differently from inactive animals in laboratory tanks, in which case using metabolic theory to predict species response to climate change could be very misleading. In this project we will ask whether metabolic theory 'works' when applied to field metabolic rate (FMR), which includes the energetic demands of foraging, movement and reproduction. FMR is difficult to measure in marine animals, but a novel geochemical proxy has recently been developed for marine fishes (Trueman et al 2016).
This project will assemble the first large, statistically comparable dataset of FMR within marine fishes, and test the following hypotheses:
FMR scales systematically with body size and temperature.
Phylogenetic relationships and/or functional groups influence FMR scaling.
FMR is a better predictor of macroecological patterns than BMR.
Metabolic rate is the rate at which an animal takes in energy and uses it for survival, growth and reproduction. Some scientists suggest that metabolic rate can be used to explain everything in ecology, including individual life histories, species distributions, and how ecosystems respond to climate change. This project will explore this exciting idea in marine fishes.
Often metabolic studies use basal metabolic rate (BMR), measured when the animal is inactive. Animals in the wild may behave very differently from inactive animals in laboratory tanks, in which case using metabolic theory to predict species response to climate change could be very misleading. In this project we will ask whether metabolic theory 'works' when applied to field metabolic rate (FMR), which includes the energetic demands of foraging, movement and reproduction. FMR is difficult to measure in marine animals, but a novel geochemical proxy has recently been developed for marine fishes (Trueman et al 2016).
This project will assemble the first large, statistically comparable dataset of FMR within marine fishes, and test the following hypotheses:
FMR scales systematically with body size and temperature.
Phylogenetic relationships and/or functional groups influence FMR scaling.
FMR is a better predictor of macroecological patterns than BMR.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Clive Trueman (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Sarah Alewijnse (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE/W503150/1 | 01/04/2021 | 31/03/2022 | |||
| 1941566 | Studentship | NE/W503150/1 | 01/10/2017 | 05/07/2022 | Sarah Alewijnse |
| Description | Thus far, a study focussed on lanternfish has found a significant difference in otolith-derived field metabolic rate among species. This cannot be attributed to body mass and temperature differences, which are the usual explanatory factors for such a difference, and are likely due to variations in species ecology and lifestyle. The wider PhD project is midway through, so key findings from that are not available at this time. |
| Exploitation Route | Lanternfish play a role in the biological carbon pump. Through their migrations, they actively transport carbon to the deep ocean, where it can be effectively sequestered. Field metabolic rate information is useful in calculating lanternfishes' contributions to this active transport. This has implications for carbon cycling research, especially concerning climate change and anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. There is also a growing interest in a potential fishery for lanternfish, and this will be important information in managing such a fishery. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | Macroecological study of the field metabolic rates of marine fishes using otolith carbon stable isotopes |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Department | NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We are preparing the otolith samples for stable isotope analysis, and delivering them to the Isotope Geosciences facility. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Isotope Geosciences facility is processing the otolith samples for the stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen, which will form the data set for my main PhD project. They will also give me training on how to operate a stable isotope mass spectrometer on my next visit. |
| Impact | This will form the basis for my PhD thesis. We anticipate that this will produce at least three papers: one exploring the body mass and temperature scaling of otolith-derived field metabolic rate, one exploring the phylogenetic and ecological impacts on field metabolic rate, and one making the otolith isotope data available to the wider scientific community. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Otolith-derived field metabolic rates of lanternfish in the Scotia Sea |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We prepared the otolith and muscles samples and conducted the stable isotope analysis. I performed the data analysis and am in the process of writing the findings into a paper. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The British Antarctic Survey provided the otolith and muscle samples, and are assisting with analysis as co-authors on the aforementioned paper. |
| Impact | I am writing this research into a paper, providing information on the field metabolic rates of lanternfish in the Scotia Sea. There is an increasing interest in harvesting lanternfish as fishmeal for aquaculture, however, lanternfish provide an important ecosystem service as part of the biological carbon pump. This research helps to better understand their role in the carbon cycle. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | European Researcher's Night at the Natural History Museum London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I took part in European Researcher's Night, an evening at the Natural History Museum (NHM) where the general public are invited to come and talk with NHM researchers about their work. Over 4000 people attended the event in 2019. In both years I had a table with specimens and spoke to the public about my research, and deep-sea fish more generally. Both times I had good feedback from the public. Most significantly, many people said they were not aware of the role that the oceans play in carbon dioxide uptake, and even less so the role that marine organisms (fish included) played in this, so in that way, I raised some awareness of the importance of the oceans and marine life to humanity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| Description | Invited seminar at Texas A&M University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave an invited seminar on my PhD work, as part of the TAMUG marine biology seminar series. Specifically, I focussed on my study of field metabolic rates in lanternfish. I also spoke about my wider PhD work and my request for donors of otoliths. Afterwards I had a few people interested in donating otoliths to the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Nature Live at the Natural History Museum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I took part in a special Nature Live session, where I spoke to students from a school in Hong Kong about my research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Online talk for Nature Live at the Natural History Museum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Natural History Museum science communicator on the impacts of fish on the carbon cycle and climate change. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://youtu.be/JDVh-mfuk4o |
| Description | PhD Blog |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I write a blog on my website, where I talk primarily about life as a PhD researcher, but also science communication. The blog has a small but international reach, mostly of friends, family and co-workers, some of whom are not in STEM fields. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://sarah-alewijnse.squarespace.com/my-blog |
| Description | Surprising Science Natural History Museum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented a short video as part of the Natural History Museum's Surprising Science series |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://youtu.be/ZGIZv_rP4iM |
| Description | Talk at the British Ecological Society annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave a poster presentation at the BES annual conference on my PhD work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Talk at the British Ecological Society annual meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk on my PhD research in the macroecological section at BES. This sparked good questions from the audience, and improved my confidence in public speaking. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk at the Fisheries Society of the British Isles annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk at the FSBI annual conference on my PhD work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Talk at the International Otolith Symposium in Taiwan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk on my PhD research at the International Otolith symposium in Taiwan. I put out a request for people interested in donating otoliths to my PhD project. Donations of otoliths resulting from this talk, and it being shared on social media have formed much of the data I will use in my research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |