Presentation Details
| Extreme Climate Conditions Disrupt Multimodal Sensory Behavior and Underlying Pathways Emilia P.Martins1, Cristina Romero-Diaz2, Kimberly D.Lapidario1, Alyssa R.Ayan1, Caitlin R.Gabor3, Sean M.Snyder1, Teresa Nguyen1, Jasmine Norris1, Monserrat Suarez Rodriguez4, Emily C.Zemke1, Kinzie S.Mahlstede1, Alexander M.Farn1, Benjamin D.Harvey1, Piyumika S.Suriyampola1. 1Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.2Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid Spain.3Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA.4Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, DF, Mexico |
Abstract
Animals rely on sensory perception to cope with rapid climate change, yet these systems can themselves shift with environmental conditions. For example, female vision and male olfaction are more acute in some fish during breeding. We tested whether sensory modalities differ in vulnerability to climate stressors and whether stress or breeding‑like conditions buffer those effects. We pre-treated zebrafish with control, stress, or breeding cues, then exposed them to control or extreme‑climate conditions (heat, acidity, strong flow, and dim light). Extreme‑climate fish were less responsive to visual, chemical, and tactile cues and exhibited transcriptomic changes in associated pathways. They also displayed sensory compensation: approaching visual cues more and avoiding tactile ones. Stress‑pretreated fish excreted less 11‑KT and progesterone and reacted even less vigorously to sensory stimuli after climate exposure, whereas breeding cues produced no lasting hormonal or sensory shifts. Overall, sensory systems appear highly sensitive to climate extremes, revealing a key behavioural vulnerability that recent experience does not reliably mitigate.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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