Functional thermal limits are determined by rate of warming during simulated marine heatwaves
Functional thermal limits are determined by rate of warming during simulated marine heatwaves
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are increasing in both intensity and frequency against a backdrop of gradual warming associated with climate change. In the context of MHWs, animals are likely to experience sub-lethal rather than lethal effects, defining long-term limits to survival and/or impacting individual and population fitness. We investigated how functional sub-lethal limits track critical thresholds and how this relationship changes with warming rate. To this end, we monitored basic functioning, specifically the ability to right, feed and assimilate energy, as well as oxygen consumption rate in the common Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. Water temperature in experimental systems was increased at rates of 1, 0.5 and 0.3°C d−1, in line with the characteristics of MHW events previously experienced at the site where the study urchins were collected on the Antarctica Peninsula. Functioning was assessed during the simulation of MHWs, and sub-lethal limits were determined when the rate of functional degradation changed as temperature increased. Results suggest that thermal sensitivity varies between the key biological functions measured, with the ability to right having the highest thermal threshold. Functions deteriorated at lower temperatures when warming was more rapid (1°C d−1), contrary to lethal critical thresholds, which were reached at lower temperatures when warming was slower (0.3°C d -1). MHWs and their impacts extend far beyond Antarctica, and in this context, our analyses indicate that the onset rate of MHWs is critical in determining the ability of an organism to tolerate short-term elevated temperatures.
Climate change, Echinoderm, Extreme warming events, Polar, Segmented regression, Sterechinus neumayeri, Sub-lethal limits, Thermal tolerance
183-196
De Leij, R
abf6b978-aa73-439d-ba19-f5b539942f00
Grange, L. J.
7194fc9a-ed65-41ff-af8f-bdc67f541f26
Peck, Lloyd S.
99c7a947-59b4-492b-b783-59fb34afd5dc
10 March 2022
De Leij, R
abf6b978-aa73-439d-ba19-f5b539942f00
Grange, L. J.
7194fc9a-ed65-41ff-af8f-bdc67f541f26
Peck, Lloyd S.
99c7a947-59b4-492b-b783-59fb34afd5dc
De Leij, R, Grange, L. J. and Peck, Lloyd S.
(2022)
Functional thermal limits are determined by rate of warming during simulated marine heatwaves.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 685 (3), .
(doi:10.3354/meps13980).
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are increasing in both intensity and frequency against a backdrop of gradual warming associated with climate change. In the context of MHWs, animals are likely to experience sub-lethal rather than lethal effects, defining long-term limits to survival and/or impacting individual and population fitness. We investigated how functional sub-lethal limits track critical thresholds and how this relationship changes with warming rate. To this end, we monitored basic functioning, specifically the ability to right, feed and assimilate energy, as well as oxygen consumption rate in the common Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. Water temperature in experimental systems was increased at rates of 1, 0.5 and 0.3°C d−1, in line with the characteristics of MHW events previously experienced at the site where the study urchins were collected on the Antarctica Peninsula. Functioning was assessed during the simulation of MHWs, and sub-lethal limits were determined when the rate of functional degradation changed as temperature increased. Results suggest that thermal sensitivity varies between the key biological functions measured, with the ability to right having the highest thermal threshold. Functions deteriorated at lower temperatures when warming was more rapid (1°C d−1), contrary to lethal critical thresholds, which were reached at lower temperatures when warming was slower (0.3°C d -1). MHWs and their impacts extend far beyond Antarctica, and in this context, our analyses indicate that the onset rate of MHWs is critical in determining the ability of an organism to tolerate short-term elevated temperatures.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 13 December 2021
Published date: 10 March 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Natural Environmental Research Council (grant number NE/L002531/1). We acknowledge the Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS) for providing the funds to support the travel and carry out this work at Rothera Research Station. We thank the British Antarctic Survey Rothera Marine team for the support provided during the experimental period of this work: in particular, the laboratory manager, Aurelia Reichardt, for her technical guidance and assistance in the aquarium; and Dr. Simon Morley, for his expertise and assistance during the Antarctic season.
Funding Information:
Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Natural Environmental Research Council (grant number NE/ L002531/1). We acknowledge the Collaborative Antarctic Science Scheme (CASS) for providing the funds to support the travel and carry out this work at Rothera Research Station. We thank the British Antarctic Survey Rothera Marine team for the support provided during the experimental period of this work: in particular, the laboratory manager, Aurelia Reichardt, for her technical guidance and assistance in the aquarium; and Dr. Simon Morley, for his expertise and assistance during the Antarctic season.
Publisher Copyright:
© Inter-Research 2022
Keywords:
Climate change, Echinoderm, Extreme warming events, Polar, Segmented regression, Sterechinus neumayeri, Sub-lethal limits, Thermal tolerance
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 488129
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/488129
ISSN: 0171-8630
PURE UUID: 4f52936f-d7aa-46e4-b4be-3bc51c7ddc4d
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Date deposited: 16 Mar 2024 17:21
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 17:21
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Contributors
Author:
R De Leij
Author:
L. J. Grange
Author:
Lloyd S. Peck
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