Life History Energy Balance of Organisms
Most aquatic organisms are "cold blooded" (ectotherms), meaning that their body temperature, metabolism, and ecological activity are determined by the temperature of their surrounding environment. Therefore water temperature is one of the most important determinants of occurrence, growth, reproduction, survival, and all around success for aquatic organisms (e.g. insects, frogs, and fish).
FLBS research has shown that water temperature drives biological patterns observed on the landscape. For example, aquatic insects and other organisms are distributed predictably along stream corridors from headwaters to piedmont valleys in relation to temperature patterns. On floodplains, thermal characteristics of different habitat types throughout the year determine which aquatic organisms are able to thrive (or just survive) in which locations during different life history stages.
These discoveries about life history energy balance of organisms in montane environments have important ramifications for predicting the consequences of climate change.
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