Studies have shown that an increase in temperature of 1.5°C will cause major changes in coastal species

Ecologists at the University of Plymouth conducted this study to study how the increase in rock surface temperature affects the number and behavior of common species on the Devon and Cornwall coastlines
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The project is concentrated in two locations on the northern coast of the region (Bude and Croyde) and two locations on the southern coast (Bantham and south Milton Sands), all of which have deep ravines facing north and south
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Their research results show that at low tide, the annual average temperature in the south is 1.
6°C higher than in the north, and extreme temperatures (ie> 30°C) occur in the south with 6 times the frequency of the north
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In these four locations, these differences have a significant impact on species abundance.
In the summer of 2018, 45 different species were found in the north-facing location and 30 in the south-facing location
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In winter, the numbers are 42 and 24, and some species—including the red seaweed Plumaria plumosa and Leathesia marina—are confined to the north-facing surface
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Different temperatures also have an impact on the reproduction pattern of the species
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Although limpets usually reproduce earlier on the south-facing surface, these key herbivores also show greater pressure
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The research, published in the journal Marine Environmental Research, explores the effects of temperature and location geography on species abundance, physiology and reproductive behavior in coastal areas for the first time
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The authors of the report said that it provides evidence of how local-scale temperature changes affect species, and it also provides insights into the negative effects that future global temperature changes may have in the coming decades
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The research was led by Dr.
Axelle Amstutz, which was part of her Ph.
D.
Working with her was Dr.
Louise Firth, Associate Professor of Marine Ecology, Dr.
John Spicer, Professor of Marine Zoology, and Dr.
Mick Hanley, Associate Professor of Animal and Plant Interactions
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Dr.
Hanley, the senior author of the study, said: "We have heard about the importance of limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.
5 degrees Celsius for some time, and this will undoubtedly be one of the key topics discussed at the upcoming COP26 meeting
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"However, more importantly, it shows how the pressure of different species changes in a single location
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Journal Reference :

1. A.