California Coast Research Articles

The reference genome of an endangered Asteraceae, Deinandra increscens subsp. villosa, endemic to the Central Coast of California.

We present a reference genome for the federally endangered Gaviota tarplant, Deinandra increscens subsp. villosa (Madiinae, Asteraceae), an annual herb endemic to the Central California coast. Generating PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and Dovetail Omni-C data, we assembled a haploid consensus genome of 1.67 Gb as 28.7 K scaffolds with a scaffold N50 of 74.9 Mb. We annotated repeat content in 74.8% of the genome. Long terminal repeats (LTRs) covered 44.0% of the genome with Copia families predominant at 22.9% followed by Gypsy at 14.2%. Both Gypsy and Copia elements were common in ancestral peaks of LTRs, and the most abundant element was a Gypsy element containing nested Copia/Angela sequence similarity, reflecting a complex evolutionary history of repeat activity. Gene annotation produced 33,257 genes and 68,942 transcripts, of which 99% were functionally annotated. BUSCO scores for the annotated proteins were 96.0% complete of which 77.6% was single copy and 18.4% duplicates. Whole genome duplication synonymous mutation rates of Gaviota tarplant and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) shared peaks that correspond to the last Asteraceae polyploidization event and subsequent divergence from a common ancestor at ∼27 MYA. Regions of high-density tandem genes were identified, pointing to potentially important loci of environmental adaptation in this species.

Comparison of Proxy-Shortwave Cloud Albedo from SBUV Observations with CMIP6 Models

Abstract We construct a long-term record of top of atmosphere (TOA) shortwave (SW) albedo of clouds and aerosols from 340-nm radiances observed by NASA and NOAA satellite instruments from 1980 to 2013. We compare our SW cloud+aerosol albedo with simulated cloud albedo from both AMIP and historical CMIP6 simulations from 47 climate models. While most historical runs did not simulate our observed spatial pattern of the trends in albedo over the Pacific Ocean, four models qualitatively simulate our observed patterns. Those historical models and the AMIP models collectively estimate an equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) of ∼3.5°C, with an uncertainty from 2.7° to 5.1°C. Our ECS estimates are sensitive to the instrument calibration, which drives the wide range in ECS uncertainty. We use instrument calibrations that assume a neutral change in reflectivity over the Antarctic ice sheet. Our observations show increasing cloudiness over the eastern equatorial Pacific and off the coast of Peru as well as neutral cloud trends off the coast of Namibia and California. To produce our SW cloud+aerosol albedo, we first retrieve a black-sky cloud albedo (BCA) and empirically correct the sampling bias from diurnal variations. Then, we estimate the broadband proxy albedo using multiple nonlinear regression along with several years of CERES cloud albedo to obtain the regression coefficients. We validate our product against CERES data from the years not used in the regression. Zonal mean trends of our SW cloud+aerosol albedo show reasonable agreement with CERES as well as the Pathfinder Atmospheres–Extended (PATMOS-x) observational dataset. Significance Statement Equilibrium climate sensitivity is a measure of the rise in global temperature over hundreds of years after a doubling of atmospheric CO2 concentration. Current state-of-the-art climate models forecast a wide range of equilibrium climate sensitivities (1.5°–6°C), due mainly to how clouds, aerosols, and sea surface temperatures are simulated within these models. Using data from NASA and NOAA satellite instruments from 1980 to 2013, we first construct a dataset that describes how much sunlight has been reflected by clouds over the 34 years and then we compare this data record to output from 47 climate models. Based on these comparisons, we conclude the best estimate of equilibrium climate sensitivity is about 3.5°C, with an uncertainty range of 2.7°–5.1°C.

Recovering predators link aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems: River otters subsidize coyotes with carrion.

Despite global declines in the abundance and distribution of predators, conservation and reintroduction efforts are increasingly leading to predator recoveries. Unexpected species interactions and ecological consequences often arise when these predator recoveries occur. Here, we describe a novel species interaction in which coyotes (Canis latrans) kleptoparasitize North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) in a region of river otter recovery along the north-central California coast, USA. We describe eight observations of coyotes scavenging otter-killed waterbird carrion, including one observation in which river otters aggressively defended their prey from a coyote kleptoparasite. These observations highlight the importance of carrion provisioning as an overlooked pathway through which river otters facilitate nutrient subsidies to terrestrial scavengers. This behavior may have ecological implications including effects on the abundance, behavior, and health of scavengers as well as their interspecific interactions. We propose hypotheses and questions regarding these ecological consequences to guide further investigations into the cross-ecosystem impacts of recovering river otter populations.

Effect of Cap Management Frequency on the Phenolic, Chromatic, and Sensory Composition of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines from the Central Coast of California over Two Vintages.

Cabernet Sauvignon from the California Paso Robles AVA was processed with a contrasting array of cap management frequencies, consisting of punch-down (PD) frequencies (0, 1, 2, and 3 PD/day) over two vintages, one of which the fruit was harvested at two contrasting maturity levels. Wines followed with up to 3 years of bottle aging for basic and phenolic chemistry, and the wines of the second harvest of 2020 were submitted to sensory analysis. There were almost non-existent effects due to the frequency of punch downs on parameters such as ethanol, pH, titratable acidity, lactic acid, and glucose + fructose. In 2019, the chromatic differences between different PD regimes were subtle, and minor effects of the punch-down frequency were observed for tannins and total phenolics. During the early stages of alcoholic fermentation, higher levels of all anthocyanin classes were observed in 1 PD wines and the lowest levels in 0 PD wines. The anthocyanin content of the wines of the first harvest (unripe) was 27% higher than that of the wines of the second harvest (ripe), but these differences disappeared after 3 years of bottle aging irrespective of the vintage and harvest date. Acylated anthocyanins were preferentially lost during aging, especially in 2019 wines and, to a lesser extent, in 2020 wines. In 2020, the polymeric pigment content of the wines of the second harvest was higher than in the wines of the first harvest, with 3 PD wines showing higher polymeric pigments and yellow hues than 0 and 2 PD wines after 3 years of bottle aging. Sensory analysis of the second harvest of the 2020 wines showed that the wines of all four PD regimes were perceived as drying, signifying they were perceived as equally astringent, which is consistent with comparable tannin levels on said wines. The perception of bitterness increased with the frequency of punch downs; thus, 3 PD wines showed the highest bitterness perception. It was concluded that in sufficiently warm fermentations and small volumes, phenolic extraction occurs regardless of fruit maturity and under conditions of minimum mixing.

The northbrae rhyolite of Berkeley (California, USA) constrains motion of the proto-Hayward Fault

ABSTRACT Right-lateral transform motion associated with the Pacific-North American plate boundary in the modern-day San Francisco Bay Area occurs across a series of sub-parallel fault zones. Much of this motion is accommodated east of the San Andreas Fault by the faults of the East Bay fault system. A major tool for reconstructing the spatial and temporal history of fault motion is the correlation of offset Neogene volcanic rocks. These Neogene volcanics within the California Coast Ranges formed in association with the slab gap that grew as the Mendocino Triple Junction migrated northward. Some of the volcanic centres have been variably offset by subsequent strike-slip faulting. A felsic volcanic unit exposed in Berkeley, CA, known as the Northbrae rhyolite has variably been interpreted to be one of these Neogene volcanic units or to be a Mesozoic volcanic unit associated with the Coast Range ophiolite. A new U-Pb zircon date of 11.10 ± 0.09 Ma confirms the Neogene volcanic interpretation. This date is indistinguishable from previously published Ar/Ar dates from the Burdell Mountain volcanics of the North Bay region as well as a new U-Pb zircon date of 11.07 ± 0.10 Ma. In addition to the indistinguishable ages, similarities in bulk lithology, zircon crystallization/dissolution textures, and zircon trace element geochemistry are consistent with these rhyolites being associated with the same volcanic centre. This correlation implies that 40 ± 5 km of right-lateral offset occurred to the west of the modern-day position of the Hayward-Rodgers Creek fault zone. This offset represents ∼ 20% of the total offset along the East Bay fault system. A proto-Hayward Fault with a different geometry than that of the present-day played a significant role in the evolution of the fault system. This result highlights the dynamic spatiotemporal variability of strike-slip faults along transform margins.

Foraging Segregation Between Adult Female Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) from Guadalupe Island and the San Benito Archipelago, Mexico

Female northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are migratory animals that form colonies along the coasts of California and the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. A recent decline in abundance has been recorded in this species Mexican distribution, which is an important reason to investigate the different ecological processes operating in these colonies. The aim of this study was to determine values of stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in pup fur as foraging maternal indicators. During the same breeding season (2015), pup fur samples were collected to investigate these foraging variations between the two major Mexican colonies—Guadalupe Island (GI) and the San Benito Archipelago (SBA). Isotopic areas were built using the ‘SIBER’ package in R, and a custom hierarchical Bayesian model was used to compare the values from both localities. Mean (± standard deviation [SD]) δ13C values for individuals from GI and the SBA were -16.9 ± 0.8‰ and -17.3 ± 0.4‰, respectively, while δ15N values were 17.4 ± 1.1‰ and 16.7 ± 1.1‰, respectively. The difference between the posterior means indicated a high probability (P > 99%) of GI having higher stable isotope ratio values than the SBA. For the posterior SDs, there were highly probable differences (P = 100%) only for δ13C, where GI had a higher dispersion. Such differences explained why GI presented a wider isotopic niche area than the SBA, indicating more diverse foraging habits along GI’s offshore-inshore gradient. Additionally, GI showed higher δ15N values than the SBA. Although this could be related to a slightly higher trophic position for GI individuals, the latitudinal effects of foraging grounds with distinct isotopic baselines remain a plausible explanation for the variations in both isotope ratios, suggesting that individuals from the SBA foraged in a more northerly location than those from GI. This study provides valuable knowledge about how females from both colonies partition resources, especially regarding habitat use.

Short wave attenuation by a kelp forest canopy

AbstractGiant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests are common along the California coast. Attached on the rocky bottom at depths of approximately 5–25 m, the kelp, when mature, spans the water column and develops dense, buoyant canopies that interact with waves and currents. We present two novel results based on observations of surface gravity waves in a kelp forest in Point Loma, California. First, we report short wave (1–3 s) attenuation in kelp, quantified by an exponential decay coefficient —comparable to the dampening effect of sea ice. Second, we identify seasonal and tidal changes in attenuation, peaking mid‐summer with maximum kelp cover, and during low tide when a greater proportion of the fronds are at the surface. Thus, the naturally occurring surface canopies of kelp forests can act as temporally varying, high‐frequency filters of wave energy.

The Dolan Fire of Central Coastal California: Burn Severity Estimates from Remote Sensing and Associations with Environmental Factors

In 2020, wildfires scarred over 4,000,000 hectares in the western United States, devastating urban populations and ecosystems alike. The significant impact that wildfires have on plants, animals, and human environments makes wildfire adaptation, management, and mitigation strategies a critical task. This study uses satellite imagery from Landsat to calculate burn severity and map the fire progression for the Dolan Fire of central Coastal California which occurred in August 2020. Several environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, fuel type, topography, surface conditions, and wind velocity, are known to affect wildfire spread and burn severity. The aim of this study is the investigation of the relationship between these environmental factors, estimates of burn severity, and fire spread patterns. Burn severity is calculated and classified using the Difference in Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) before being displayed as a time series of maps. The Dolan Fire had a moderate severity burn with an average dNBR of 0.292. The ignition site location, when paired with the patterns of fire spread, is consistent with wind speed and direction data, suggesting fire movement to the southeast of the fire ignition site. Patterns of increased burn severity are compared with both topography (slope and aspect) and fuel type. Locations that were found to be more susceptible to high burn severity featured Long Needle Timber Litter and Mature Timber fuels, intermediate slope angles between 15 and 35°, and north- and east-facing slopes. This study has implications for the future predictive modeling of wildfires that may serve to develop wildfire mitigation strategies, manage climate change impacts, and protect human lives.

Thermal plasticity has higher fitness costs among thermally tolerant genotypes of Tigriopus californicus

Abstract Under climate change, ectotherms will likely face pressure to adapt to novel thermal environments by increasing their upper thermal tolerance and its plasticity, a measure of thermal acclimation. Ectotherm populations with high thermal tolerance are often less thermally plastic, a trade‐off hypothesized to result from (i) a phenotypic limit on thermal tolerance above which plasticity cannot further increase the trait, (ii) negative genetic correlation or (iii) fitness trade‐offs between the two traits. Whether each hypothesis causes negative associations between thermal tolerance and plasticity has implications for the evolution of each trait. We empirically tested the limit and trade‐off hypotheses by leveraging the experimental tractability and thermal biology of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus. Using populations from four latitudinally distributed sites in coastal California, six lines per population were reared under a laboratory common garden for two generations. Ninety‐six full sibling replicates (n = 4–5 per line) from a third generation were developmentally conditioned to 21.5 and 16.5°C until adulthood. We then measured the upper thermal tolerance and fecundity of sibships at each temperature. We detected a significant trade‐off in fecundity, a fitness corollary, between baseline thermal tolerance and its plasticity. Tigriopus californicus populations and genotypes with higher thermal tolerance were less thermally plastic. We detected negative directional selection on thermal plasticity under ambient temperature evidenced by reduced fecundity. These fitness costs of plasticity were significantly higher among thermally tolerant genotypes, consistent with the trade‐off hypothesis. This trade‐off was evident under ambient conditions, but not high temperature. Observed thermal plasticity and fecundity were best explained by a model incorporating both the limit and trade‐off hypotheses rather than models with parameters associated with one hypothesis. Effects of population and family on tolerance and plasticity negatively covaried, suggesting that a negative genetic correlation could not be ruled as contributing to negative associations between the traits. Our study provides a novel empirical test of the fitness trade‐off hypothesis that leverages a strong inference approach. We discuss our results' insights into how thermal adaptation may be constrained by physiological limits, genetic correlations, and fitness trade‐offs between thermal tolerance and its plasticity. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Shifts in host–parasitoid networks across community garden management and urban landscape gradients

AbstractBiological pest control relies on interactions between herbivores and their natural enemies. Maintaining this ecosystem service requires considering herbivore and natural enemy interactions and their response to anthropogenic change at multiple scales. In this study, we used ecological networks to quantify the network structure of interactions between herbivorous insects and their parasitoids. We examined how herbivore host abundance, parasitism rates, and shifts in network structure relate to changes in local habitat management and landscape context. We sampled herbivores and parasitoids in Brassica oleracea plants at 22 urban gardens in the Central Coast of California. At each site, we measured local management characteristics (e.g., vegetation, ground cover, canopy cover) and quantified surrounding landscape composition (e.g., urban, natural, open, and agricultural cover). For the eight sites with large enough networks, we calculated three network structure metrics (interaction richness, vulnerability, and functional complementarity). We then used generalized linear and mixed models to examine relationships between herbivore host abundance, parasitism rates, garden management and landscape characteristics, and network metrics. We found that both local management and landscape composition influenced parasitism, while only local factors affected host abundance and network structure. Higher network interaction richness was marginally associated with enhanced parasitism rates for two host species and lower parasitism rates for one host species. Our results suggest that local garden management decisions may shift the structure of host–parasitoid networks, which may subsequently affect host parasitism rates, but outcomes for biological pest control will likely vary across host species.

Limited genomic signatures of population collapse in the critically endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii).

The black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, is a large, long-lived marine mollusc that inhabits rocky intertidal habitats along the coast of California and Mexico. In 1985, populations were impacted by a bacterial disease known as withering syndrome (WS) that wiped out >90% of individuals, leading to the closure of all U.S. black abalone fisheries since 1993. Current conservation strategies include restoring diminished populations by translocating healthy individuals. However, population collapse on this scale may have dramatically lowered genetic diversity and strengthened geographic differentiation, making translocation-based recovery contentious. Additionally, the current prevalence of WS remains unknown. To address these uncertainties, we sequenced and analysed the genomes of 133 black abalone individuals from across their present range. We observed no spatial genetic structure among black abalone, with the exception of a single chromosomal inversion that increases in frequency with latitude. Outside the inversion, genetic differentiation between sites is minimal and does not scale with either geographic distance or environmental dissimilarity. Genetic diversity appears uniformly high across the range. Demographic inference does indicate a severe population bottleneck beginning just 15 generations in the past, but this decline is short lived, with present-day size far exceeding the pre-bottleneck status quo. Finally, we find the bacterial agent of WS is equally present across the sampled range, but only in 10% of individuals. The lack of population genetic structure, uniform diversity and prevalence of WS bacteria indicates that translocation could be a valid and low-risk means of population restoration for black abalone species' recovery.

Supersaturation and Critical Size of Cloud Condensation Nuclei in Marine Stratus Clouds

AbstractObservations of marine stratus clouds in clean air off the Californian coast reveal a functional relationship between the number of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and supersaturation. Satellite‐derived liquid droplet density estimates the number density of CCN. Combining the estimated supersaturation using Köhler theory, global maps of supersaturation and the critical activation size of CCN are estimated. Here, we show that high supersaturation >0.5% persists over the oceans with a critical CCN size of 25–30 nm, which is smaller than the conventional wisdom of 60 nm. Independent support for such high supersaturation in the marine cloud is obtained from CCN measurements provided by the “Atmospheric Tomography Mission.” Higher supersaturation implies smaller activation size for CCN making cloud formation more sensitive to changes in aerosol nucleation.

Diversity and distribution of intertidal Microporella (Bryozoa: Cheilostomatida) from California

Seven species of the cheilostome bryozoan genus Microporella were identified across 15 rocky intertidal sites spanning 940 km of the California coast, from Mill Creek in the Montereyan Pacific Transition Region north to Point Saint George in the Mendocinian Region. Colonies of Microporella were found encrusting boulders and mollusc shells. Among these species, three are new to science, namely Microporella dentata Chowdhury & Di Martino sp. nov., M. pauciperforata Chowdhury & Di Martino sp. nov. and M. rota Chowdhury & Di Martino sp. nov. Three other species, M. californica, M. setiformis, and M. umbonata have previously been recorded from other localities in California. Finally, Microporella neocribroides, originally described from off Kodiak Island, Alaska, and subsequently found in Hokkaido, Japan, was recorded in California for the first time. An additional new species, M. similis Chowdhury & Di Martino sp. nov., was identified through the re-examination of museum material previously attributed to M. cribrosa and M. californica. These newly acquired data allowed for a more comprehensive examination of the distribution of species, intraspecific variability, and potential predator-induced teratologies in certain species, thanks to the availability of numerous colonies from various sites and the re-examination of museum records. Altogether, this study increases the known Recent diversity of Microporella in California’s waters to a total of 18 species.

Bayesian Non-Parametric Inference for Multivariate Peaks-over-Threshold Models.

We consider a constructive definition of the multivariate Pareto that factorizes the random vector into a radial component and an independent angular component. The former follows a univariate Pareto distribution, and the latter is defined on the surface of the positive orthant of the infinity norm unit hypercube. We propose a method for inferring the distribution of the angular component by identifying its support as the limit of the positive orthant of the unit p-norm spheres and introduce a projected gamma family of distributions defined through the normalization of a vector of independent random gammas to the space. This serves to construct a flexible family of distributions obtained as a Dirichlet process mixture of projected gammas. For model assessment, we discuss scoring methods appropriate to distributions on the unit hypercube. In particular, working with the energy score criterion, we develop a kernel metric that produces a proper scoring rule and presents a simulation study to compare different modeling choices using the proposed metric. Using our approach, we describe the dependence structure of extreme values in the integrated vapor transport (IVT), data describing the flow of atmospheric moisture along the coast of California. We find clear but heterogeneous geographical dependence.

Inclusion of bedrock vadose zone in dynamic global vegetation models is key for simulating vegetation structure and function

Abstract. Across many upland environments, soils are thin and plant roots extend into fractured and weathered bedrock where moisture and nutrients can be obtained. Root water extraction from unsaturated weathered bedrock is widespread and, in many environments, can explain gradients in vegetation community composition, transpiration, and plant sensitivity to climate. Despite increasing recognition of its importance, the “rock moisture” reservoir is rarely incorporated into vegetation and Earth system models. Here, we address this weakness in a widely used dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM; LPJ-GUESS). First, we use a water flux-tracking deficit approach to more accurately parameterize plant-accessible water storage capacity across the contiguous United States, which critically includes the water in bedrock below depths typically prescribed by soil databases. Secondly, we exploit field-based knowledge of contrasting plant-available water storage capacity in weathered bedrock across two bedrock types in the Northern California Coast Ranges as a detailed case study. For the case study in Northern California, climate and soil water storage capacity are similar at the two study areas, but the site with thick weathered bedrock and ample rock moisture supports a temperate mixed broadleaf–needleleaf evergreen forest, whereas the site with thin weathered bedrock and limited rock moisture supports an oak savanna. The distinct biomes, seasonality and magnitude of transpiration and primary productivity, and baseflow magnitudes only emerge from the DGVM when a new and simple subsurface storage structure and hydrology scheme is parameterized with storage capacities extending beyond the soil into the bedrock. Across the contiguous United States, the updated hydrology and subsurface storage improve annual evapotranspiration estimates as compared to satellite-derived products, particularly in seasonally dry regions. Specifically, the updated hydrology and subsurface storage allow for enhanced evapotranspiration through the dry season that better matches actual evapotranspiration patterns. While we made changes to both the subsurface water storage capacity and the hydrology, the most important impacts on model performance derive from changes to the subsurface water storage capacity. Our findings highlight the importance of rock moisture in explaining and predicting vegetation structure and function, particularly in seasonally dry climates. These findings motivate efforts to better incorporate the rock moisture reservoir into vegetation, climate, and landscape evolution models.

Variability in coastal habitat available for Longfin Smelt Spirinchus thaleichthys in the northeastern Pacific Ocean

An understanding of oceanographic conditions and processes important to marine animal ecology is fundamental to the development of effective management and conservation actions. Longfin Smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) is a pelagic forage fish found in coastal and estuarine waters along the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to central California. Substantial population declines in California’s San Francisco Estuary, where Longfin Smelt are protected under California’s Endangered Species Act, have prompted extensive study of estuarine factors associated with the decline. However, coastal factors that affect up to two-thirds of the Longfin Smelt life cycle are poorly understood and may be important drivers of population dynamics. We compiled coastal observations from numerous sources to estimate the range-wide coastal marine distribution of Longfin Smelt and assess habitat factors affecting distribution in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Based on maximum entropy species distribution models, Longfin Smelt distribution was correlated with depth, distance from the nearest estuary, sea surface temperature, and sea surface chlorophyll. Longfin Smelt were found in shallow, higher productivity coastal waters closer to estuaries, with depth and temperature the most consistent factors influencing distribution. Habitat suitability was highly variable at the southern extent of the range, particularly off the California coast, and was largely driven by habitat contractions associated with warm-water conditions. Study results provide insights into the habitat and range-wide distribution of an at-risk estuarine-reliant forage fish and are the first step toward identifying processes that affect the marine portion of the Longfin Smelt life cycle.

Kelp-associated variability in seawater chemistry during a marine heatwave event connects to transgenerational effects in the purple urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera provides the foundation for immense biodiversity on the coast of California, USA. Kelp forests can change seawater retention time, altering water chemistry, including pH and dissolved oxygen (DO), as well as the magnitude and predictability of variability in the same properties. Environmental heterogeneity across space and time could drive organismal performance and processes such as transgenerational plasticity (TGP), where parental experience modifies the offspring phenotype, potentially conferring tolerance to future environmental stress. We monitored environmental variability by deploying temperature, pH, and DO sensors inside and outside a temperate kelp forest in the Santa Barbara Channel (SBC) throughout the gametogenesis period of a key herbivore, the purple urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Over the 6 mo period, pH and temperature were slightly elevated inside the kelp forest, accompanied by more predictable, low-frequency variability relative to outside. Adult S. purpuratus were conditioned inside and outside the kelp spanning gametogenesis. The urchins were spawned and their larvae were raised under high (1053 µatm) and low pCO2 (435 µatm) at 15°C in the laboratory to assess their physiological response to the maternal and developmental environments. Larvae raised under high pCO2 were more susceptible to acute thermal stress; however, within each larval treatment, progeny from outside-conditioned mothers had a 0.4°C higher lethal temperature (LT50). Our results indicate that heterogeneity in abiotic factors associated with kelp can have transgenerational effects in the field, and interactions between factors, including temperature and pH, will impact purple urchins as local variability associated with marine heatwaves and upwelling evolves with climate change.

The Man at Noah’s Window—The Death of the Old King in Patrick Roth’s Novel Starlite Terrace

Starlite Terrace is a contemporary novel comprised of four interlinked stories about the American film milieu by the German-American writer Patrick Roth. Four protagonists tell their Hollywood-tinged, highly personal life stories to a fifth, who is also the main narrator. In each of their singular collisions with life, a universal and mythical pattern is gradually revealed that gives these so-called ordinary people a dignity they have long since lost in everyday life. Literary scholars are considering Starlite Terrace a brilliant portrayal of the so-called “seeker spirituality” found primarily on the West Coast of California. In fact, the novel is part of Patrick Roth’s own life story, a condensation of his 40 years of experience in Los Angeles, the center of the American film industry. The novel represents a new kind of literature, a new poetics that strives to give expression to an archetypal layer of the unconscious through the writing process, thus bringing together these separate spheres. The highly Jungian worldview is mirrored in the character of Rex, “The Man at Noah’s Window,” among others. In his fixation on the movies and movie stars, he represents an aspect of the narrator’s shadow, a content eventually recognized and accepted. Ultimately, Rex, the “eternal outsider,” embodies the old ailing king in desperate need of rejuvenation. On the level of the collective psyche, the figure of Rex conveys the end of the old God image and the beginning of a new one, as experienced and foretold in the narrator’s archetypal puer aeternus dream.

Diverse habitats shape the movement ecology of a top marine predator, the white shark Carcharodon carcharias

AbstractAn animal's movement is influenced by a plethora of internal and external factors, leading to individual‐ and habitat‐specific movement characteristics. This plasticity is thought to allow individuals to exploit diverse environments efficiently. We tested whether the movement characteristics of white sharks Carcharodon carcharias differ across ontogeny and among habitats along the coast of Central California. In doing so, we elucidate how changes in internal state (physiological changes coinciding with body size) and external environments (differing seascapes and/or diel phases) shape the movement of this globally distributed predator. Twenty‐one white sharks, from small juveniles to large adults, were equipped with motion‐sensitive biologging tags at four contrasting seascapes: two islands, a headland, and an inshore cove. From multisensor biologging data, 20 metrics characterizing movement (i.e., depth use, vertical velocities, activity, turning rates, and bursting events) were derived and subjected to multivariate analyses. Movement characteristics were most different across seascapes, followed by ontogeny and diel phase. Juvenile sharks, which were only encountered at the cove, displayed the most distinct movement characteristics. Sharks at this seascape remained close to the shore traveling over smaller areas, shallower depth ranges, and with lower levels of tail beat frequencies, when corrected for size, than sub‐adult and adult sharks tagged elsewhere. Distinct tortuous daytime versus linear nighttime horizontal movements were recorded from sharks at island seascapes but not from those at the headland or inshore cove. At the offshore islands, the linear nighttime swimming patterns coincided with repeated dives to and from deeper water. The availability of prey and access to deeper water are likely drivers of the differences in movement characteristics described, with varying demographics of pinniped prey found at the subadult and adult aggregation areas and juvenile sharks being piscivorous and their habitat neither adjacent to pinniped haul out areas nor deeper water. This study demonstrates plasticity in the movements of a top predator, which adapts its routine to suit the habitat it forages within.

Idiosyncrasy and predictability in intraspecific trait–climate relationships of grasses

AbstractMany plant species can exhibit remarkable variation in leaf characteristics, depending on their abiotic and biotic environment. Environmental changes therefore have the potential to alter leaf traits, which in turn scale up to influence ecosystem processes including net primary productivity, susceptibility to fire, and palatability to herbivores. It is not well understood how consistent trait–environment relationships are among species, across sites and over time. This presents a fundamental challenge for functional ecology, because no study can measure all relevant species in all places at all times. Thus, understanding the limits of transferability is critical. We collected leaf trait measurements on 13 species of grass (family: Poaceae) across 11 sites and five years (n = 3091 individuals). Sites were arrayed along a spatial precipitation gradient in coastal northern California (annual precipitation of 590–1350 mm) with substantial interannual precipitation variability (from 60% below the 30‐year average to 100% above average). Temporal and spatial linear relationships between precipitation and specific leaf area (SLA) appear at first idiosyncratic, with each species sometimes displaying positive and sometimes negative responses. However, this variation arises from sampling different portions of an underlying hump‐shaped relationship, which was shared across most species. This hump‐shaped relationship was driven primarily by changes in leaf tissue density. These results suggest the potential for transferability among species, as well as between space and time, as long as the gradients are sufficiently long to capture the nonlinear response. Future work could explore the physiological basis of the nonlinear SLA response, including the possibility that distinct physiological mechanisms are operating at the two extremes of the gradient.