By © Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0,
A recently study published in Current
Biology, looked at current trends in cephalopod abundance. They state that Cephalopod
populations are extremely variable, can fluctuate wildly and are currently experiencing
a boom in numbers. Squid, cuttlefish and
octopuses have a long history of being able to adapt rapidly to changing
environments.
Researchers investigated long-term trends in abundance using
a global time-series of catch rates. The study revealed cephalopod populations
have increased over the last six decades and were unusually consistent across
taxa. Study datasets spanned the last 61 years (1953 to 2013). Results show increases
of 52% squid, 31% octopuses, 17% cuttlefish and sepiolids populations. One explanation
could be due to elevated water temperatures due to ocean warming. This is
thought to accelerate the life cycle of cephalopods when thermal ranges are not
exceeded and food remains abundant.
To read the complete study [which is open access], follow
the link here [and above]
References:
Doubleday, Zoë A. et al., 2016. Global proliferation of
cephalopods. Current Biology, Volume 26, Issue 10 R406 - R407. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.002
Image credit: By © Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=385705
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