University of Otago researchers have found we could all learn something from zebrafish.
Apparently they make great fathers because they make sure their offspring are equipped to deal with environmental challenges.
In a study, zebrafish fathers who were exposed to low oxygen levels in water, were found to pass information on to their young to help them cope in such conditions.
Zoology researcher and study senior author Dr Sheri Johnson said hypoxia was a major challenge for aquatic species because of the rise of dead zones — areas where oxygen was so low, life could not survive.
"With ongoing climate change, which can increase the risk of hypoxia in aquatic environments, it is now more important than ever to understand how different aquatic species respond to environmental hypoxia."
She said the researchers found paternal hypoxia exposure produced offspring that were more tolerant to low oxygen, and caused a complex of haemoglobin genes (involved in oxygen transport) to be turned on more in the offspring, therefore improving their chances of survival in the low oxygen environment.
"Studies are increasingly demonstrating that parents or ancestors may provide offspring with increased tolerance to environmental challenges, such as food shortages, carbon dioxide, salinity, temperature, and, in this case, hypoxia.
"This sort of transgenerational acclimation will play a key role in the ability of animals to cope with changing environmental conditions, like climate change."
Dr Johnson said not all species would respond this way, and it was important to find those which could not, as well as better understand the mechanisms involved.
It was hoped the research would be extended to look at the potential for transgenerational acclimation in New Zealand fish.
