Brook Trout May Be More Adaptable to Climate Change Than Previously Thought

Brook trout may be able to pass on adapted genes that will help the species endure. Photo: Phil Monahan

As the threat of climate change has become more serious in recent decades, biologists have sounded the alarm about the threat to brook trout populations across the species’ range. Salvelinus fontionalis has always been seen as the trout species most susceptible to rising water temperatures, but a new study has found that brook trout “may have a genetic trick up their scales when it comes to adapting, with limitations, to heatwaves that threaten their existence.” A study led by researchers at Penn State suggests a protective genetic response to thermal stress can be passed on from one generation brookies to the next. This is a rare bit of climate-related good news for anglers from Georgia to eastern Canada.

Click here for the full story on the Penn State website.