Search papers, labs, and topics across Lattice.
Small pelagic fish, including sardines (Sardina pilchardus), anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus), and herrings (Clupea harengus), serve as critical "nutrient pumps" in marine ecosystems and are primary sources of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and essential micronutrients for human populations. However, anthropogenic climate change is inducing significant metabolic stress through the twin mechanisms of ocean warming and deoxygenation. This research article synthesizes physiological data, biochemical analysis, and ecological modeling to evaluate how climate-induced metabolic stress alters the nutritional profile of these species. We demonstrate that rising sea surface temperatures (SST) increase metabolic maintenance costs, diverting energy from lipid storage to homeostatic regulation. This shift results in a quantifiable reduction in omega-3 densities and protein quality. Furthermore, the "temperature-size rule" (TSR) and reduced zooplankton quality suggest a future where small pelagics are not only smaller in biomass but significantly less nutrient-dense, posing a direct threat to global food security and neonatal health in fish-dependent regions.