Extremophile Fishes, 2015 Ecology, Evolution, and Physiology of Teleosts in Extreme Environments

This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments.

This book sheds new light on the biology of extremophile fishes and the different kinds of extreme environments they inhabit

It covers some of the best-studied cases of extremophile fishes and provides an overview over the key adaptations enabling them to survive under extreme conditions

Readers will discover novel perspectives on the origin and evolution of life and particular attention is given to predicting ecosystem-wide responses to pollution and climate change

Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras