Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time

Abstract Understanding the effect of marine heatwaves on organisms is central for improving climate change predictions. Even moderate heatwave events are likely to drive performance of organisms especially if they are long relative to the life cycle duration. In ectotherms, such events will affect b...

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Main Authors: Luis Giménez, Gabriela Torres
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02469-w
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author Luis Giménez
Gabriela Torres
author_facet Luis Giménez
Gabriela Torres
author_sort Luis Giménez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Understanding the effect of marine heatwaves on organisms is central for improving climate change predictions. Even moderate heatwave events are likely to drive performance of organisms especially if they are long relative to the life cycle duration. In ectotherms, such events will affect biological time on a stage-dependent basis; they could alter the timing of life cycle events (e.g. spawning, reproduction) and cause reproductive failure. We use a mathematical framework to explore three different scenarios for the causal relationship between temperature and developmental time and help future experimental research. Here, we highlight the need to experimentally test for (1) stage-dependent responses to temperature and (2) plastic responses to the thermal history. (3) Consider traits linked to developmental time (e.g. body size) and (4) integrate across levels of organization to develop stronger explanatory models. Experiments need to manipulate the timing, duration, and magnitude of warm events.
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issn 2662-4435
language English
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publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Earth & Environment
spelling doaj-art-7346d41c742142618fecfc21e15477d42025-08-20T03:04:17ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-07-016111110.1038/s43247-025-02469-wMarine heatwaves impact organism developmental timeLuis Giménez0Gabriela Torres1School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor UniversityAlfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum Für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Biologische Anstalt HelgolandAbstract Understanding the effect of marine heatwaves on organisms is central for improving climate change predictions. Even moderate heatwave events are likely to drive performance of organisms especially if they are long relative to the life cycle duration. In ectotherms, such events will affect biological time on a stage-dependent basis; they could alter the timing of life cycle events (e.g. spawning, reproduction) and cause reproductive failure. We use a mathematical framework to explore three different scenarios for the causal relationship between temperature and developmental time and help future experimental research. Here, we highlight the need to experimentally test for (1) stage-dependent responses to temperature and (2) plastic responses to the thermal history. (3) Consider traits linked to developmental time (e.g. body size) and (4) integrate across levels of organization to develop stronger explanatory models. Experiments need to manipulate the timing, duration, and magnitude of warm events.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02469-w
spellingShingle Luis Giménez
Gabriela Torres
Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
Communications Earth & Environment
title Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
title_full Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
title_fullStr Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
title_full_unstemmed Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
title_short Marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
title_sort marine heatwaves impact organism developmental time
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02469-w
work_keys_str_mv AT luisgimenez marineheatwavesimpactorganismdevelopmentaltime
AT gabrielatorres marineheatwavesimpactorganismdevelopmentaltime