Skip to main content
Log in

The foraging behaviour of consumers leads to more extinctions when temperature increases

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

From Nature Climate Change

View current issue Submit your manuscript

When the temperature increases, so do the energetic requirements of species. We find that the energetic stress caused by increases in temperature pushes fish species to consume the first prey they encounter to fulfil their immediate needs, rather than focusing on more energetically rewarding prey. This behaviour increases the vulnerability of communities to climate change.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1: Effect of temperature on the prey body mass selectivity of fish and on species coexistence in communities.

References

  1. Dill, L. M. Adaptive flexibility in the foraging behavior of fishes. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 40, 398–408 (1983). A review article that presents how different fish species adapt their diet to local environmental conditions.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Kondoh, M. Foraging adaptation and the relationship between food-web complexity and stability. Science 299, 1388–1391 (2003). A research article suggesting that the adaptation of consumers’ foraging behaviour can be a key factor explaining the high level of biodiversity observed in ecosystems.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Gauzens, B. et al. Quantitative description of six fish species’ gut contents and prey abundances in the Baltic Sea (1968–1978). Sci. Data 11, 236 (2024). This paper compiles the data from the fishing campaigns led by Arntz.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Gauzens, B. et al. Flexible foraging behaviour increases predator vulnerability to climate change. Nat. Clim. Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01946-y (2024).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

The foraging behaviour of consumers leads to more extinctions when temperature increases. Nat. Clim. Chang. 14, 320–321 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01969-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01969-5

  • Springer Nature Limited

Navigation