Why is temperature important
for aquatic life?

Temperature is an important factor for aquatic life. Most aquatic organisms, including all amphibians, fish and invertebrates, are “cold-blooded.” This means that their blood changes temperature to reflect the temperature of the surrounding environment. “Warm-blooded” animals, including birds and mammals like you, maintain a constant body temperature no matter what the temperature outside them happens to be. Also, scientists suspect that spawning in some fish, such as the American shad, is triggered by changes in water temperature

(adapted from Gary Kraemer, DNREC, “Background Information for Interpreting Water Quality Monitoring Results,”)