Impacts of Climate Change on Coral Reef Fishes

Climate change will affect coral reef fishes in different ways, including indirect effects of habitat loss and degradation as well as direct effects of increasing temperature and declining pH on individual performance and fitness. Fishes most vulnerable to climate impacts are generally small‑bodied and strongly coral dependent. However, sustained increases in ocean temperatures as well as ocean acidification will affect a wide range of different species, lead to declines in the abundance of important fisheries species, as well as loss of biodiversity and ecosystem function.