Cutthroat Trout and Climate Change

New research published recently in Nature Climate Change suggests a warming climate is impacting native Westslope cutthroat trout in more ways than just range.  It’s allowing increased hybridization with rainbow trout as well. “Hybridization breaks down, or jumbles up, these gene complexes linked to when the fish spawn, how they move. So over time, if we allow it to proceed, it decreases the ability of that species to be resilient and adapt in a warming climate,” explains Clint Muhlfeld, aquatic ecologist for the U.S. Geological Survey and lead author of the study. Via Scientific American.