Fishes have the ability to evolve the fastest through earthquakes

To be able to adapt to the new environment after the earthquake, threespine sticklebacks had to change themselves to survive.

Threespine sticklebacks have surprising adaptability.

We often think that evolution must take place for thousands of years. However, according to a new study published by scientists at the University of Oregon and the University of Australia, threespine sticklebacks - fish that normally live in a self-evolving saltwater environment to adapt to the water environment sweet.

This self-transformation ability is due to the 9.264 Alaska earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 degrees, which caused some saltwater fish populations to be trapped in freshwater environments when geology lifted. During the study, the scientists discovered that these sticklebacks have undergone changes in both genes and external characteristics such as eye, shape, color, bone size and armor. body to adapt to new habitats and this process lasts up to 50 years.

These changes have made the sticklebacks easier to adapt in both freshwater and marine environments. And that is why threespine sticklebacks are the fastest adaptive fish in the new environment. , biology professor William Cresko, University of Orgon, one of the study authors said.