Supplemental Material for Backenstose et al., 2025

This manuscript targets evolutionary biologists, aquatic ecologists, and climate change researchers, offering insights into how D. pulex responds to elevated temperatures. We exposed D. pulex to control (20℃) and elevated (25℃) temperatures for 168 hours, tracking fecundity and gene expression. Results showed a dynamic transcriptional shift and surprisingly higher reproduction in warmer conditions. We conclude that D. pulex exhibits rapid physiological and potentially adaptive responses to mild warming. This is relevant by revealing complex organismal reactions to climate change, impacting predictions of freshwater ecosystem stability.