Abstract
Most invertebrates in the ocean begin their lives with planktonic larval phases that are critical for dispersal and distribution of these species. Larvae are particularly vulnerable to environmental change, so understanding interactive effects of environmental stressors on larval life is essential in predicting population persistence and vulnerability of species. Here, we use a novel experimental approach to rear larvae under interacting gradients of temperature, salinity, and ocean acidification, then model growth rate and duration of Olympia oyster larvae and predict the suitability of habitats for larval survival. We find that temperature and salinity are closely linked to larval growth and larval habitat suitability, but larvae are tolerant to acidification at this scale. We discover that present conditions in the Salish Sea are actually suboptimal for Olympia oyster larvae from populations in the region, and that larvae from these populations might actually benefit from some degree of global ocean change. Our models predict a vast decrease in mean pelagic larval duration by the year 2095, which has the potential to alter population dynamics for this species in future oceans. Additionally, we find that larval tolerance can explain large-scale biogeographic patterns for this species across its range.
Highlights
Most invertebrates in the ocean begin their lives with planktonic larval phases that are critical for dispersal and distribution of these species
Larvae are highly sensitive to environmental c onditions[1,2] and the vast majority of larvae do not live to competence, so population demographics and geographic distributions of species are closely related to patterns of larval survival and metamorphosis along environmental g radients[3,4]
Residual deviance: 12.553 on 46 df Results from this experiment suggest that Ostrea lurida larvae are robust to these major direct impacts of climate change and that present-day conditions in the SaIish Sea are widely sub-optimal for the growth, survival, and habitat suitability of Olympia oyster larvae
Summary
Most invertebrates in the ocean begin their lives with planktonic larval phases that are critical for dispersal and distribution of these species. Many marine invertebrates begin their lives as tiny planktonic larvae that drift in the water column and disperse away from their parents For sessile species, these larval periods are especially important as they are the only times throughout life history during which organisms are capable of dispersal. Changes in ocean salinity affect cellular processes such as osmotic regulation and respiration in marine animals[11], and sustained periods of low salinity can lead to mass die offs of intertidal populations[12] These stressors interact in coastal environments, and impacts of combined stressors often operate synergistically, highlighting the importance of studying stressors in combination[13,14,15]. Predicting environments in which larvae can thrive will help to predict future success of populations and more precise targets for restoration efforts
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