Interacting environmental mosaics drive geographic variation in mussel performance and predation vulnerability

Kristy J Kroeker; Eric Sanford; Jeremy M Rose; Carol A Blanchette; Francis Chan; Francisco P Chavez; Brian Gaylord; Brian Helmuth; Tessa M Hill; Gretchen E Hofmann; Margaret A McManus; Bruce A Menge; Karina J Nielsen; Peter T Raimondi; Ann D Russell; Libe Washburn

doi:10.1111/ele.12613

Interacting environmental mosaics drive geographic variation in mussel performance and predation vulnerability

Ecol Lett. 2016 Jul;19(7):771-9. doi: 10.1111/ele.12613. Epub 2016 May 6.

Authors

Kristy J Kroeker¹, Eric Sanford^{2

3}, Jeremy M Rose⁴, Carol A Blanchette⁵, Francis Chan⁴, Francisco P Chavez⁶, Brian Gaylord^{2

3}, Brian Helmuth⁷, Tessa M Hill^{2

8}, Gretchen E Hofmann⁹, Margaret A McManus¹⁰, Bruce A Menge⁴, Karina J Nielsen¹¹, Peter T Raimondi¹, Ann D Russell⁸, Libe Washburn^{5

12}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
² Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Bodega Bay, CA, USA.
³ Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
⁵ Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
⁶ Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA.
⁷ Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA.
⁸ Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
⁹ Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
¹¹ Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
¹² Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.

PMID: 27151381
DOI: 10.1111/ele.12613

Abstract

Although theory suggests geographic variation in species' performance is determined by multiple niche parameters, little consideration has been given to the spatial structure of interacting stressors that may shape local and regional vulnerability to global change. Here, we use spatially explicit mosaics of carbonate chemistry, food availability and temperature spanning 1280 km of coastline to test whether persistent, overlapping environmental mosaics mediate the growth and predation vulnerability of a critical foundation species, the mussel Mytilus californianus. We find growth was highest and predation vulnerability was lowest in dynamic environments with frequent exposure to low pH seawater and consistent food. In contrast, growth was lowest and predation vulnerability highest when exposure to low pH seawater was decoupled from high food availability, or in exceptionally warm locations. These results illustrate how interactions among multiple drivers can cause unexpected, yet persistent geographic mosaics of species performance, interactions and vulnerability to environmental change.

Keywords: Biogeography; emergent effects; macroecology; multidimensional niche; multiple stressors; ocean acidification.

MeSH terms

Animals
California
Environment*
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Mytilus / physiology*
Oregon
Predatory Behavior*
Seawater / chemistry
Temperature