Impact of Climate Change on Fishes in Complex Antarctic Ecosystems

Biodiversity of Demersal Fish Communities in the Cosmonaut Sea Revealed by DNA Barcoding Analyses

The Cosmonaut Sea is one of the least accessed regions in the Southern Ocean, and our knowledge about the fish biodiversity in the region is sparse. In this study, we provided a description of demersal fish diversity in the Cosmonaut Sea by analysing cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcodes of 98 fish samples that were hauled by trawling during the 37th and 38th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) cruises. Twenty-four species representing 19 genera and 11 families, namely, Artedidraconidae, Bathydraconidae, Bathylagidae, Channichthyidae, Liparidae, Macrouridae, Muraenolepididae, Myctophidae, Nototheniidae, Paralepididae and Zoarcidae, were discriminated and identified, which were largely identical to local fish occurrence records and the general pattern of demersal fish communities at high Antarctic shelf areas. The validity of a barcoding gap failed to be detected and confirmed across all species due to the indicative signals of two potential cryptic species. Nevertheless, DNA barcoding still demonstrated to be a very efficient and sound method for the discrimination and classification of Antarctic fishes. In the future, various sampling strategies that cover all geographic sections and depth strata of the Cosmonaut Sea are encouraged to enhance our understanding of local fish communities, within which DNA barcoding can play an important role in either molecular taxonomy or the establishment of a dedicated local reference database for eDNA metabarcoding analyses.

First pelagic fish biodiversity assessment of Cosmonaut Sea based on environmental DNA

The Cosmonaut Sea is a typical marginal sea in East Antarctica that has not yet been greatly impacted by climate change. As one of the least explored areas in the Southern Ocean, our knowledge regarding its fish taxonomy and diversity has been sparse. eDNA metabarcoding, as an emerging and promising tool for marine biodiversity research and monitoring, has been widely used across taxa and habitats. During the 38th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-38), we collected seawater and surface sediment samples from 38 stations in the Cosmonaut Sea and performed the first, to our knowledge, eDNA analysis of fish biodiversity in the Southern Ocean based on the molecular markers of 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA. There were 48 fish species detected by the two markers in total, with 30 and 34 species detected by the 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA marker, respectively. This was more than the trawling results (19 species) and historical survey records (16 species, "BROKE-West" cruise). With some nonsignificant differences between the Gunnerus Ridge and the Oceanic Area of Enderby Land, the Cosmonaut Sea had a richer fish biodiversity in this research compared with previous studies, and its overall composition and distribution patterns were consistent with what we know in East Antarctica. We also found that the eDNA composition of fish in the Cosmonaut Sea might be related to some environmental factors. Our study demonstrated that the use of the eDNA technique for Antarctic fish biodiversity research is likely to yield more information with less sampling effort than traditional methods. In the context of climate change, the eDNA approach will provide a novel and powerful tool that is complementary to traditional methods for polar ecology research.

A review of the scientific knowledge of the seascape off Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

Despite the exclusion of the Southern Ocean from assessments of progress towards achieving the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Strategic Plan, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has taken on the mantle of progressing efforts to achieve it. Within the CBD, Aichi Target 11 represents an agreed commitment to protect 10% of the global coastal and marine environment. Adopting an ethos of presenting the best available scientific evidence to support policy makers, CCAMLR has progressed this by designating two Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean, with three others under consideration. The region of Antarctica known as Dronning Maud Land (DML; 20°W to 40°E) and the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean that abuts it conveniently spans one region under consideration for spatial protection. To facilitate both an open and transparent process to provide the vest available scientific evidence for policy makers to formulate management options, we review the body of physical, geochemical and biological knowledge of the marine environment of this region. The level of scientific knowledge throughout the seascape abutting DML is polarized, with a clear lack of data in its eastern part which is presumably related to differing levels of research effort dedicated by national Antarctic programmes in the region. The lack of basic data on fundamental aspects of the physical, geological and biological nature of eastern DML make predictions of future trends difficult to impossible, with implications for the provision of management advice including spatial management. Finally, by highlighting key knowledge gaps across the scientific disciplines our review also serves to provide guidance to future research across this important region.

Productivity and Change in Fish and Squid in the Southern Ocean

Southern Ocean ecosystems are globally important and vulnerable to global drivers of change, yet they remain challenging to study. Fish and squid make up a significant portion of the biomass within the Southern Ocean, filling key roles in food webs from forage to mid-trophic species and top predators. They comprise a diverse array of species uniquely adapted to the extreme habitats of the region. Adaptations such as antifreeze glycoproteins, lipid-retention, extended larval phases, delayed senescence, and energy-conserving life strategies equip Antarctic fish and squid to withstand the dark winters and yearlong subzero temperatures experienced in much of the Southern Ocean. In addition to krill exploitation, the comparatively high commercial value of Antarctic fish, particularly the lucrative toothfish, drives fisheries interests, which has included illegal fishing. Uncertainty about the population dynamics of target species and ecosystem structure and function more broadly has necessitated a precautionary, ecosystem approach to managing these stocks and enabling the recovery of depleted species. Fisheries currently remain the major local driver of change in Southern Ocean fish productivity, but global climate change presents an even greater challenge to assessing future changes. Parts of the Southern Ocean are experiencing ocean-warming, such as the West Antarctic Peninsula, while other areas, such as the Ross Sea shelf, have undergone cooling in recent years. These trends are expected to result in a redistribution of species based on their tolerances to different temperature regimes. Climate variability may impair the migratory response of these species to environmental change, while imposing increased pressures on recruitment. Fisheries and climate change, coupled with related local and global drivers such as pollution and sea ice change, have the potential to produce synergistic impacts that compound the risks to Antarctic fish and squid species. The uncertainty surrounding how different species will respond to these challenges, given their varying life histories, environmental dependencies, and resiliencies, necessitates regular assessment to inform conservation and management decisions. Urgent attention is needed to determine whether the current management strategies are suitably precautionary to achieve conservation objectives in light of the impending changes to the ecosystem.

Midtrophic fish feeding modes at the poles: an ecomorphological comparison of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica)

The polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and the Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) are pelagic fish endemic to the Arctic and Antarctica sea, respectively. Both species are abundant and play a central role as midtrophic wasp-waist species in polar ecosystems. Due to their biological and ecological characteristics (small size, complex life histories, relatively short generation cycles, movement capability, planktivorous diet, and importance as prey), the polar cod and the Antarctic silverfish are potentially good sentinels of ecosystem change. Changes in polar zooplankton communities are well documented. How changes impact ecosystems as a whole largely depend on the degree of diet specialization and feeding flexibility of midtrophic species. Here, we provide the ecomorphological characterization of polar cod and Antarctic silverfish feeding performances. A comparative functional ecology approach, based on the analysis of morpho-anatomical traits, including calculation of suction index and mechanical advantage in jaw closing, was applied to profile the feeding modes and flexibility of the two species. Ecomorphological evidence supports differences in food acquisition: the polar cod appears able to alternate particulate ram-suction feeding to a pump filter feeding, and the Antarctic silverfish results be both a particulate ram and a tow-net filter feeder. Both species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies and appear able to switch feeding mode according to the abundance and size of the available prey, which is a clue of potential resilience to a changing environment.

Comparative analysis of the diet of Arctocephalus gazella (Pinnipedia), at two localities of the South Shetland Islands, with emphasis on the fish component

ABSTRACT We studied the diet of non-breeding male Antarctic fur Seals Arctocephalus gazella (Peters, 1875) at two different localities of the South Shetland Islands: Stranger Point, King George Island/Isla 25 de Mayo and Duthoit Point, Nelson Island, by the analysis of 65 faecal samples collected in February 2012. Overall, Antarctic krill Euphausia superba (Dana, 1850) and fish were the main prey taxa followed by penguins and cephalopods. Myctophids were dominant among fish; Gymnoscopelus nicholsi (Gilbert, 1911) was the most important prey species at both sampling sites, followed by Electrona antarctica (Gunther, 1878) at Stranger Point and by the nototheniid Pleuragramma antarctica (Boulenger, 1902) at Duthoit Point. The relative similarity found in the dietary composition of fur seals from both locations suggest they might have been sharing common feeding areas. Our results were compared with those reported in the literature for different localities of the South Shetland Islands and the Scotia Sea region. The absence of formerly harvested demersal notothenioid species in the diet of fur seals may reflect the negative impact that commercial fisheries had on some fish populations and supports the importance of implementing long-term monitoring studies on the feeding habits of A. gazella in the area.

Thermal sensitivity of cell metabolism of different Antarctic fish species mirrors organism temperature tolerance

Despite cold adaptation, Antarctic fish show lower growth than expected from the van’t Hoff’s Q10 rule. Protein synthesis is one of the main energy-consuming processes, which is downregulated under energy deficiency. Considering the effect of temperature on growth performance, we tested if temperature-dependent cellular energy allocation to protein synthesis correlates with temperature-dependent whole-animal growth and thus thermal tolerance. Cell respiration and energy expenditure for protein synthesis were determined in hepatocytes of the circumpolar-distributed Antarctic eelpout Pachycara brachycephalum after warm acclimation (0 °C vs 5 °C) and, of two notothenioids the sub-Antarctic Lepidonotothen squamifrons and the high-Antarctic icefish Chionodraco hamatus. We used intermittent-flow respirometry to analyse cellular response to acute warming from 5 to 10 °C (P. brachycephalum) and from 1 to 5 °C (L. squamifrons, C. hamatus). Warming-induced rise in respiration was similar between 0- and 5 °C-acclimated P. brachycephalum and between L. squamifrons and C. hamatus. Irrespective of acclimation, warming decreased energy expenditure for protein synthesis in P. brachycephalum, which corresponds to reduced whole-animal growth at temperatures > 5 °C. Warming doubled energy expenditure for protein synthesis in L. squamifrons but had no effect on C. hamatus indicating that L. squamifrons might benefit from warmer waters. The species-specific temperature effect on energy expenditure for protein synthesis is discussed to mirror thermal sensitivity of whole-animal growth performance, thereby paralleling the degree of cold adaptation. Clearly more data are necessary including measurements at narrower temperature steps particularly for C. hamatus and an increased species’ number per ecotype to reinforce presented link between cellular and whole-animal thermal sensitivity.

Effect of long-term thermal challenge on the Antarctic notothenioid Notothenia rossii

The thermal stability of the Antarctic Ocean raises questions concerning the metabolic plasticity of Antarctic notothenioids to changes in the environmental temperature. In this study, Notothenia rossii survived 90 days at 8 °C, and their condition factor level was maintained. However, their hepatosomatic (0.29×) index decreased, indicating a decrease in nutrient storage as a result of changes in the energy demands to support survival. At 8 °C, the plasma calcium, magnesium, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations decreased, whereas the glucose (1.91×) and albumin (1.26×) concentrations increased. The main energy substrate of the fish changed from lipids to glucose due to a marked increase in lactate dehydrogenase activity, as demonstrated by an increase in anaerobic metabolism. Moreover, malate dehydrogenase activity increased in all tissues, suggesting that fish acclimated at 8 °C exhibit enhanced gluconeogenesis. The aerobic demand increased only in the liver due to an increase (2.23×) in citrate synthase activity. Decreases in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase to levels that are most likely sufficient at 8 °C were observed, establishing a new physiological activity range for antioxidant defense. Our findings indicate that N. rossii has some compensatory mechanisms that enabled its long-term survival at 8 °C.

Endocrine and reproductive endpoints of Notothenia rossii and N. coriiceps: A baseline study for ecotoxicological monitoring in Antarctic waters

Pollution threats Antarctica and scientists blame xenobiotics and anthropic activities. Yet little is known about their effect on Antarctic ichthyofauna. Accordingly, we investigated the endocrine system of male fish Notothenia rossii and N. coriiceps (Perciformes, Nototheniidae) collected during Austral summer. For N. rossii, hormone levels of estradiol, testosterone, and 11-ketotestosterone were higher in fish collected during March than those of January; whereas for N. coriiceps estradiol and androgens levels were higher and lower in March, respectively. Histological analysis of the testes showed an unrestricted lobular type with no pathological alterations. However, detection of vitellogenin-like in plasma and skin mucus were seen in 75% of N. coriiceps males and 7% of N. rossii males. This is the first report of mucus vitellogenin-like detection as a non-invasive biomarker of endocrine disruption in notothenioid males and settles a baseline for future studies of reproductive biology and endocrine disruption in Antarctic fishes.

Climate-driven synchrony in growth-increment chronologies of fish from the world's largest high-elevation river

Understanding how sensitive aquatic ecosystems respond to climate change is essential for effective biodiversity conservation and management. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is one of the most globally sensitive areas to climate change with potentially serious implications for resident fish populations and aquatic food webs. However, how the growth of TP fish responds to climate change, and how this response varies with the trophic level of different species remain unknown. We established growth-increment chronologies of two important Schizothoracinae fishes that are endemic to the TP (e.g., the omnivorous Schizopygopsis younghusbandi and the carnivorous Oxygymnocypris stewartii) from the Yarlung Tsangpo River, using otolith increment width measurements and dendrochronological methods. These growth chronologies were correlated with key indicators of environmental variation (temperature, precipitation, and river discharge) to examine the potential effects of climate change. The two chronologies displayed synchronous responses to recent climate change. In this glacial-fed river, the growth of both fish species was significantly and negatively correlated with the mean annual air temperature, while it was positively but not significantly correlated with precipitation and discharge. The higher trophic level species O. stewartii was more sensitive to climate than was the lower trophic level species S. younghusbandi, with temperature variables explaining a higher proportion of growth variability in O. stewartii (64.6%) than in S. younghusbandi (46.4%). The results collectively indicate that both species are highly sensitive to climate change, which may affect fish growth by altering water environment, fish physiological fitness and food availability. This study provides further empirical evidence of the utility of growth-increment chronologies for investigating the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems across different basins and water body types of the TP. These findings can inform conservation and management actions related to addressing climate change on the TP and other high-elevation temperate systems found worldwide.

Thermal windows and metabolic performance curves in a developing Antarctic fish

For ectotherms, temperature modifies the rate of physiological function across a temperature tolerance window depending on thermal history, ontogeny, and evolutionary history. Some adult Antarctic fishes, with comparatively narrow thermal windows, exhibit thermal plasticity in standard metabolic rate; however, little is known about the shape or breadth of thermal performance curves of earlier life stages of Antarctic fishes. We tested the effects of acute warming (- 1 to 8 °C) and temperature acclimation (2 weeks at - 1, 2, 4 °C) on survival and standard metabolic rate in early embryos of the dragonfish Gymnodraco acuticeps from McMurdo Sound, Ross Island, Antarctica. Contrary to predictions, embryos acclimated to warmer temperatures did not experience greater mortality and nearly all embryos survived acute warming to 8 °C. Metabolic performance curve height and shape were both significantly altered after 2 weeks of development at - 1 °C, with further increase in curve height, but not alteration of shape, with warm temperature acclimation. Overall metabolic rate temperature sensitivity (Q ₁₀) from - 1 to 8 °C varied from 2.6 to 3.6, with the greatest thermal sensitivity exhibited by embryos at earlier developmental stages. Interclutch variation in metabolic rates, mass, and development of simultaneously collected embryos was also documented. Taken together, metabolic performance curves provide insight into the costs of early development under warming temperatures, with the potential for thermal sensitivity to be modified by dragonfish phenology and magnitude of seasonal changes in temperature.

Persistent organic pollutants in tissues of the white-blooded Antarctic fish Champsocephalus gunnari and Chaenocephalus aceratus

The global occurrence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) continuously contributes to their accumulation also in remote areas such as the Antarctic Ocean. Antarctic fish, which hold high trophic positions but appear to possess low endogenous elimination rates for chemicals, are expected to bioaccumulate POPs with rising anthropogenic pollution. Using a chemical-analytical method, we measured concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, HCBs, HCH and DDTs and determined toxic equivalents (TEQs) and bioanalytical equivalents (BEQs) in muscle and ovaries of Antarctic icefish caught in the Southern Ocean around Elephant Island. We used two species with different feeding habits and trophic web positions: the planktivorous Champsocephalus gunnari and the piscivorous Chaenocephalus aceratus. Our results revealed higher contaminant levels in ovary than in muscle tissues of both species. Most analytes concentrations and the TEQs (0.2-0.5) and BEQs (0.2) were lower as in temperate species. Comparison with literature data points to higher PCB (20-22 ng g(-1) lipid weight (lw)) and DDT (7-19.5 ng g(-1) lw) concentrations than those measured in icefish in the 90's. For the other contaminants, we could not identify temporal trends. We found a higher bioaccumulation of contaminants, particularly HCB and DDTs, in C. aceratus (6.2 & 19.5 ng g(-1) lw, respectively) than in C. gunnari (3.8 & 7.0 ng g(-1) lw, respectively). However, there was no general species-specific accumulation pattern of the different toxicant classes between the two icefish. Thus, the expected link between contaminant burdens of C. aceratus and C. gunnari and their ecological traits was only weakly supported for these species.

Temporal stability of parasite distribution and genetic variability values of Contracaecum osculatum sp. D and C. osculatum sp. E (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from fish of the Ross Sea (Antarctica)

The Ross Sea, Eastern Antarctica, is considered a “pristine ecosystem” and a biodiversity “hotspot” scarcely impacted by humans. The sibling species Contracaecum osculatum sp. D and C. osculatum sp. E are anisakid parasites embedded in the natural Antarctic marine ecosystem. Aims of this study were to: identify the larvae of C. osculatum (s.l.) recovered in fish hosts during the XXVII Italian Expedition to Antarctica (2011–2012); perform a comparative analysis of the contemporary parasitic load and genetic variability estimates of C. osculatum sp. D and C. osculatum sp. E with respect to samples collected during the expedition of 1993–1994; to provide ecological data on these parasites. 200 fish specimens (Chionodraco hamatus, Trematomus bernacchii, Trematomus hansoni, Trematomus newnesi) were analysed for Contracaecum sp. larvae, identified at species level by allozyme diagnostic markers and sequences analysis of the mtDNA cox2 gene.

Statistically significant differences were found between the occurrence of C. osculatum sp. D and C. osculatum sp. E in different fish species. C. osculatum sp. E was more prevalent in T. bernacchii; while, a higher percentage of C. osculatum sp. D occurred in Ch. hamatus and T. hansoni. The two species also showed differences in the host infection site: C. osculatum sp. D showed higher percentage of infection in the fish liver. High genetic variability values at both nuclear and mitochondrial level were found in the two species in both sampling periods. The parasitic infection levels by C. osculatum sp. D and sp. E and their estimates of genetic variability showed no statistically significant variation over a temporal scale (2012 versus 1994). This suggests that the low habitat disturbance of the Antarctic region permits the maintenance of stable ecosystem trophic webs, which contributes to the maintenance of a large populations of anisakid nematodes with high genetic variability.

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Temporal stability of infection values of two anisakid species in Antarctic fish.

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Temporal stability of genetic variability in two Antarctic anisakid parasites.

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Differential distribution of two Contracaecum species in Antarctic fish.

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Different host localization of the two species of Contracaecum in Antarctic fish.

Ocean acidification exerts negative effects during warming conditions in a developing Antarctic fish

Anthropogenic CO2 is rapidly causing oceans to become warmer and more acidic, challenging marine ectotherms to respond to simultaneous changes in their environment. While recent work has highlighted that marine fishes, particularly during early development, can be vulnerable to ocean acidification, we lack an understanding of how life-history strategies, ecosystems and concurrent ocean warming interplay with interspecific susceptibility. To address the effects of multiple ocean changes on cold-adapted, slowly developing fishes, we investigated the interactive effects of elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and temperature on the embryonic physiology of an Antarctic dragonfish (Gymnodraco acuticeps), with protracted embryogenesis (∼10 months). Using an integrative, experimental approach, our research examined the impacts of near-future warming [-1 (ambient) and 2°C (+3°C)] and ocean acidification [420 (ambient), 650 (moderate) and 1000 μatm pCO2 (high)] on survival, development and metabolic processes over the course of 3 weeks in early development. In the presence of increased pCO2 alone, embryonic mortality did not increase, with greatest overall survival at the highest pCO2. Furthermore, embryos were significantly more likely to be at a later developmental stage at high pCO2 by 3 weeks relative to ambient pCO2. However, in combined warming and ocean acidification scenarios, dragonfish embryos experienced a dose-dependent, synergistic decrease in survival and developed more slowly. We also found significant interactions between temperature, pCO2 and time in aerobic enzyme activity (citrate synthase). Increased temperature alone increased whole-organism metabolic rate (O2 consumption) and developmental rate and slightly decreased osmolality at the cost of increased mortality. Our findings suggest that developing dragonfish are more sensitive to ocean warming and may experience negative physiological effects of ocean acidification only in the presence of an increased temperature. In addition to reduced hatching success, alterations in development and metabolism due to ocean warming and acidification could have negative ecological consequences owing to changes in phenology (i.e. early hatching) in the highly seasonal Antarctic ecosystem.

The Southern Ocean ecosystem under multiple climate change stresses--an integrated circumpolar assessment

A quantitative assessment of observed and projected environmental changes in the Southern Ocean (SO) with a potential impact on the marine ecosystem shows: (i) large proportions of the SO are and will be affected by one or more climate change processes; areas projected to be affected in the future are larger than areas that are already under environmental stress, (ii) areas affected by changes in sea-ice in the past and likely in the future are much larger than areas affected by ocean warming. The smallest areas (<1% area of the SO) are affected by glacier retreat and warming in the deeper euphotic layer. In the future, decrease in the sea-ice is expected to be widespread. Changes in iceberg impact resulting from further collapse of ice-shelves can potentially affect large parts of shelf and ephemerally in the off-shore regions. However, aragonite undersaturation (acidification) might become one of the biggest problems for the Antarctic marine ecosystem by affecting almost the entire SO. Direct and indirect impacts of various environmental changes to the three major habitats, sea-ice, pelagic and benthos and their biota are complex. The areas affected by environmental stressors range from 33% of the SO for a single stressor, 11% for two and 2% for three, to <1% for four and five overlapping factors. In the future, areas expected to be affected by 2 and 3 overlapping factors are equally large, including potential iceberg changes, and together cover almost 86% of the SO ecosystem.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Antarctic icefish, Chaenocephalus aceratus (Perciforms, Channichthyidae)

The complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the Antarctic icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus was determined to be 17311 bp in length, and to contain 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA genes. The total A+T content is 52.8%. The notothenioid-exclusive ND6/tRNAGlu translocation was observed in the mitogenome of C. aceratus. Generally, the order and contents of the other genes are identical with those of other fishes. Antarctic icefishes, the only vertebrates which do not have hemoglobins, have evolved to survive sub-freezing temperature. Therefore, the whole mitogenome sequences of C. aceratus will provide the insights into resolving the evolutionary history of icefish.

Phenological changes in the southern hemisphere

Current evidence of phenological responses to recent climate change is substantially biased towards northern hemisphere temperate regions. Given regional differences in climate change, shifts in phenology will not be uniform across the globe, and conclusions drawn from temperate systems in the northern hemisphere might not be applicable to other regions on the planet. We conduct the largest meta-analysis to date of phenological drivers and trends among southern hemisphere species, assessing 1208 long-term datasets from 89 studies on 347 species. Data were mostly from Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), South America and the Antarctic/subantarctic, and focused primarily on plants and birds. This meta-analysis shows an advance in the timing of spring events (with a strong Australian data bias), although substantial differences in trends were apparent among taxonomic groups and regions. When only statistically significant trends were considered, 82% of terrestrial datasets and 42% of marine datasets demonstrated an advance in phenology. Temperature was most frequently identified as the primary driver of phenological changes; however, in many studies it was the only climate variable considered. When precipitation was examined, it often played a key role but, in contrast with temperature, the direction of phenological shifts in response to precipitation variation was difficult to predict a priori. We discuss how phenological information can inform the adaptive capacity of species, their resilience, and constraints on autonomous adaptation. We also highlight serious weaknesses in past and current data collection and analyses at large regional scales (with very few studies in the tropics or from Africa) and dramatic taxonomic biases. If accurate predictions regarding the general effects of climate change on the biology of organisms are to be made, data collection policies focussing on targeting data-deficient regions and taxa need to be financially and logistically supported.