Barnacle reproductive strategies under thermal stress: tropical versus temperate responses

• Grant number: 15/10327-2
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): August 06, 2015
• Effective date (End): December 20, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal researcher: Augusto Alberto Valero Flores
• Grantee: Paula Kasten
• Supervisor abroad: Stuart Rees Jenkins
• Home Institution: Centro de Biologia Marinha (CEBIMAR). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Sebastião , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Bangor University, Wales
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/17380-8 - Latent or cumulative effects? The effects of maternal manipulation and pelagic trophic condition in recruitment rate of intertidal barnacles., BP.DR

Abstract

Intertidal rocky shores and adjacent coastal oceans are very dynamic habitats, and conditions for both adult benthic stages and pelagic larvae often range from optimal to life-threatening over short periods of time. Therefore, the stability and persistence of intertidal invertebrate populations may rely on reproductive tactics based on prompt responses to reliable environmental cues. Exceeding temperature during long periods of emersion is probably the most important physical factor affecting populations of intertidal sessile organisms. Because thermal stress may lead to mass mortality events, distinctive reproductive responses upon critical temperature thresholds may enhance fitness, and can thus be generally predicted for species dominating intertidal rocky shores. In this project, we will compare reproductive responses of the tropical barnacle Chthamalus bisinuatus and the temperate barnacle C. montagui over the summer thermal range these species experience in southeastern Brazil and the Welsh coast, respectively. In theory, events of critical aerial thermal stress and nearshore food depletion are more frequent in the tropics than in temperate zone, and therefore we would anticipate that anticipatory maternal effects and plasticity of larval traits would be more relevant in the former. We will test the hypothesis that the tropical species presents maternal effects and plastic larval traits due to the more frequent thermal stress they are submitted to. We want to verify whether pulse responses to thermal stress make up a general pattern of varying magnitude, or, alternatively, whether these species follow divergent reproductive strategies. If there is a common pattern, we will compare plastic responses involving the manipulation of larval quality, and thus evaluate their relative importance for these two species. Finally, we will test the correlation between anticipatory responses and performance (survival and lipid metabolism) of adult experimental populations to verify their adaptive value. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

KASTEN, PAULA; TREMBLAY, REJEAN; FLORES, AUGUSTO A. V. Mismatched seasonal patterns of larval production and quality in subtropical barnacle populations along a coastal trophic gradient. ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE, v. 224, p. 43-50, AUG 31 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.

KASTEN, PAULA; JENKINS, STUART R.; TREMBLAY, REJEAN; FLORES, AUGUSTO A. V. Evidence for enhanced late-stage larval quality, not survival, through maternal carry-over effects in a space monopolizing barnacle. Hydrobiologia, v. 830, n. 1, p. 277-286, MAR 2019. Web of Science Citations: 1.