Giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama), Spencer Gulf, South Australia. (Photo by Scott Portelli, Wildlife Photographer, @scott.portelli)
As climate change affects the ocean environment, many species are declining – but not the ocean’s cephalopods. Populations of these creatures, which include octopus, cuttlefish, and squid, have increased over the past 60 years.
Researchers believe their characteristics, such as rapid growth and short life-spans, allow them to adapt to changing ocean conditions more quickly than other marine species. The authors suggest cephalopods may even benefit from such changes to the marine environment.
Authors:
Zoë A. Doubleday, Thomas A.A. Prowse, Alexander Arkhipkin, Graham J. Pierce, Jayson Semmens, Michael Steer, Stephen C. Leporati, Sílvia Lourenço, Antoni Quetglas, Warwick Sauer, Bronwyn M. Gillanders
Corresponding authors:
Zoë A. Doubleday and Bronwyn M. Gillanders, School of Biological Sciences and The Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
Original paper, published on May 23, 2016 in Current Biology.
