News All News Newsletter Recent Grants Back to main menu Overview Grant Awards 2022-23 Accolades Publications Media Information Social Media Information Science Communication Resources for Scientists Obituaries Home All News Can the Octopus Adapt Fast Enough for Climate Change? | Earth Island Journal A Lesser Pacific Striped Octopus (pygmy octopus) curls into a shell. Credit: Tim Briggs By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry | Earth Island Journal August 28, 2024 Share Articles Related Scientists Full Name Bret Grasse Categories Eugene Bell Center Marine Resources Center Media Mentions With the ocean temperature expected to rise by 2100, marine biologists are scrambling to understand how warming waters marine life in shallow ecosystems. That is especially true for octopuses, who play a crucial role in these delicate reef and tidal pool habitats. They are both predator and prey, which means the effects of warmer water on their life cycles could be “Cephalopods [which include octopus, squid, and cuttlefish] are an important taxon for our oceans,” explains Bret Grasse, the manager of Cephalopod Operations at (), in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. “They are not only highly voracious predators, so they consume a lot of prey, but they’re also heavily relied on as prey for other species. They are a very high-protein, low-fat meal, like the swimming Cliff bar of the sea.” Source: Can the Octopus Adapt Fast Enough for Climate Change? | Earth Island Journal Share Articles