Evolution and Climate Change in the Oceans
As climate change continues to alter species' environmental niches, we know that organisms often move to different environments for which they are better adapted. Often, this involved organisms migrating polewards. We can therefore predict that, in particular, species that move towards the poles must compete with pre-existing species in this environment who might occupy similar niches (use the same resources, be preyed upon by the same predator, etc.).
The migration of species pole-ward causes an increase in the number of Introduced Species and Climate Change. The increased amount of competition due to invasive species is predicted to cause the polar regions to have some of the highest levels of extinction.
Jon Norberg states "Competition can restrict opportunities for adaptation whereas adaptation of resident species can restrict establishment of competitors." Norberg et al. found that pre-adapted species can outcompete even marginally less adapted species in interspecific competition. Specifically, they found species in the mid-latitude range felt competitive pressure due to expanding tropical species as well as "competitive inertia"from polar species that were rapidly declining. Mid-latitude range species thus began to compete with polar species. Norberg et al. also found that the warm-adapted species eventually outcompeted polar species in their own environment, and this led to a decrease of overal species variety.
Comments