Climate change continues to be a leading driver affecting the behavior and distribution of many species worldwide. In the Arctic, rapid rates of warming sea surface temperatures and loss of sea ice continue to alter the marine ecosystem. Fishes are considered remarkable indicators of change occurring in the aquatic environment.
The aim of this study is to quantify and describe morphological variation in the Greenland cod
population as a measure of individual specialization.
What did we find?
Significant differences between cluster groups for each linear trait indicates two distinct morphotypes. This likely reflects resource polymorphism through differences in feeding ecology and habitat use, and could be due to competition for food resources within this population.
Why is this important?
Better understanding of the Greenland cod population can provide insight on how resilient arctic fish populations are and how they will adapt to environmental changes in the future such as climate change and potential species distribution shifts of closely related species.
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