Metabolic signatures of two scleractinian corals from the northern South China sea in response to extreme high temperature events

Coral bleaching events are becoming increasingly common worldwide, causing widespread coral mortality. However, not all colonies within the same coral taxa show sensitivity to bleaching events, and the current understanding of the metabolic mechanisms underlying thermal bleaching in corals remains limited. We used untargeted metabolomics to analyze the biochemical processes involved in the survival of two bleaching phenotypes of the common corals Pavona decussata and Acropora pruinosa, during a severe bleaching event in the northern South China Sea in 2020. During thermal bleaching, P. decussata and A. pruinosa significantly accumulated energy products such as succinate and EPA, antioxidants and inflammatory markers, and reduced energy storage substances like glutamate and thymidine. KEGG analysis revealed enrichment of energy production pathways such as ABC transporters, nucleotide metabolism and lipid metabolism, suggesting the occurrence of oxidative stress and energy metabolism disorders in bleached corals. Notably, heat stress exerted distinct effects on metabolic pathways in the two coral species, e.g., P. decussata activating carbohydrate metabolism pathways like glycolysis and the TCA cycle, along with amino acid metabolism pathways, whereas A. pruinosa significantly altered the content of multiple small peptides affected amino acid metabolism. Furthermore, the osmoregulatory potential of corals correlates with their ability to survive in heat-stress environments in the wild. This study provides valuable insights into the metabolic mechanisms linked to thermal tolerance in reef-building corals, contributes to the understanding of corals' adaptive potential to heat stress induced by global warming and lays the foundation for developing targeted conservation strategies in the future.

Molecular and behavioural responses of the mussel Mytilus edulis exposed to a marine heatwave

Marine heatwaves (MHW) threaten marine organisms and tend to increase in frequency and intensity. We exposed the blue mussel Mytilus edulis to a MHW lasting 23 days, including two 10-d periods of thermal intensity increase of +5 °C (20 °C-25 °C) interspersed by 1 day back to 20 °C, followed by a 4-d recovery period. We investigated behaviour responses of mussels and gene expression changes relative to the circadian rhythm (Per), oxidative stress (SOD), cellular apoptosis (CASP3), energy production (ATPs), and general stress response (hsp70). Results showed that the MHW disturbed the valve activity of mussels. Particularly, mussels increased the number of valve micro-closures, showing a stressful state of organisms. Mussels also decreased Per, CASP3, ATPs, and Hsp70 gene expression. Some behavioural and molecular effects persisted after the MHW, suggesting a limited recovery capacity of individuals. This work highlighted the vulnerability of M. edulis to a realistic MHW.

Transcriptome profiling reveals the strategy of thermal tolerance enhancement caused by heat-hardening in Mytilus coruscus

The thick-shell mussel Mytilus coruscus serves as a common sessile intertidal species and holds economic significance as an aquatic organism. M. coruscus often endure higher temperatures than their ideal range during consecutive low tides in the spring. This exposure to elevated temperatures provides them with a thermal tolerance boost, enabling them to adapt to high-temperature events caused by extreme low tides and adverse weather conditions. This phenomenon is referred to as heat-hardening. Some related studies showed the phenomenon of heat-hardening in sessile intertidal species but not reported at the mechanism level based on transcriptome so far. In this study, physiological experiments, gene family identification and transcriptome sequencing were performed to confirm the thermotolerance enhancement based on heat-hardening and explore the mechanism in M. coruscus. A total of 2935 DEGs were identified and the results of the KEGG enrichment showed that seven heat-hardening relative pathways were enriched, including Toll-like receptor signal pathway, Arachidonic acid metabolism, and others. Then, 24 HSP70 members and 36 CYP2 members, were identified, and the up-regulated members are correlated with increasing thermotolerance. Finally, we concluded that the heat-hardening M. coruscus have a better thermotolerance because of the capability of maintaining the integrity and the phenomenon of vasodilation of the gill under thermal stress. Further, the physiological experiments yielded the same conclusions. Overall, this study confirms the thermotolerance enhancement caused by heat-hardening and reveals the survival strategy in M. coruscus. In addition, the conclusion provides a new reference for studying the intertidal species' heat resistance mechanisms to combat extreme heat events and the strategies for dealing with extreme weather in aquaculture under the global warming trend.

Multi-omics reveals largely distinct transcript- and protein-level responses to the environment in an intertidal mussel

Organismal responses to stressful environments are influenced by numerous transcript- and protein-level mechanisms, and the relationships between expression changes at these levels are not always straightforward. Here, we used paired transcriptomic and proteomic datasets from two previous studies from gill of the California mussel, Mytilus californianus, to explore how simultaneous transcript and protein abundance patterns may diverge under different environmental scenarios. Field-acclimatized mussels were sampled from two disparate intertidal sites; individuals from one site were subjected to three further treatments (common garden, low-intertidal or high-intertidal outplant) that vary in temperature and feeding time. Assessing 1519 genes shared between the two datasets revealed that both transcript and protein expression patterns differentiated the treatments at a global level, despite numerous underlying discrepancies. There were far more instances of differential expression between treatments in transcript only (1451) or protein only (226) than of the two levels shifting expression concordantly (68 instances). Upregulated expression of cilium-associated transcripts (likely related to feeding) was associated with relatively benign field treatments. In the most stressful treatment, transcripts, but not proteins, for several molecular chaperones (including heat shock proteins and endoplasmic reticulum chaperones) were more abundant, consistent with a threshold model for induction of translation of constitutively available mRNAs. Overall, these results suggest that the relative importance of transcript- and protein-level regulation (translation and/or turnover) differs among cellular functions and across specific microhabitats or environmental contexts. Furthermore, the degree of concordance between transcript and protein expression can vary across benign versus acutely stressful environmental conditions.

Temporal regulation of temperature tolerances and gene expression in an arctic insect

Terrestrial arthropods in the Arctic are exposed to highly variable temperatures that frequently reach cold and warm extremes. Yet, ecophysiological studies on arctic insects typically focus on the ability of species to tolerate low temperatures, whereas studies investigating physiological adaptations of species to periodically warm and variable temperatures are few. In this study, we investigated temporal changes in thermal tolerances and the transcriptome in the Greenlandic seed bug Nysius groenlandicus, collected in the field across different times and temperatures in Southern Greenland. We found that plastic changes in heat and cold tolerances occurred rapidly (within hours) and at a daily scale in the field, and that these changes are correlated with diurnal temperature variation. Using RNA sequencing, we provide molecular underpinnings of the rapid adjustments in thermal tolerance across ambient field temperatures and in the laboratory. We show that transcriptional responses are sensitive to daily temperature changes, and days characterized by high temperature variation induced markedly different expression patterns than thermally stable days. Further, genes associated with laboratory-induced heat responses, including expression of heat shock proteins and vitellogenins, were shared across laboratory and field experiments, but induced at time points associated with lower temperatures in the field. Cold stress responses were not manifested at the transcriptomic level.

Molecular and biochemical responses to tributyltin (TBT) exposure in the American oyster: Triggers of stress-induced oxidative DNA damage and prooxidant-antioxidant imbalance in tissues by TBT

Environmental pollution increases due to anthropogenic activities. Toxic chemicals in the environment affect the health of aquatic organisms. Tributyltin (TBT) is a toxic chemical widely used as an antifouling paint on boats, hulls, and ships. The toxic effect of TBT is well documented in aquatic organisms; however, little is known about the effects of TBT on DNA lesions in shellfish. The American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, an edible and commercially important species) is an ideal marine mollusk to examine the effects of TBT exposure on DNA lesions and oxidative/nitrative stress. In this study, we investigated the effects of TBT on 8'-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG, a biomarker of pro-mutagenic DNA lesion), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), dinitrophenyl protein (DNP, a biomarker on reactive oxygen species, ROS), 3-nitrotyrosine protein (NTP, a biomarker of reactive nitrogen species, RNS), catalase (CAT, an antioxidant), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE, a cholinergic enzyme) expressions in the gills and digestive glands of oysters. We also analyzed extrapallial (EF) fluid conditions. Immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR results showed that TBT exposure significantly increased 8-OHdG, dsDNA, DNP, NTP, and CAT mRNA and/or protein expressions in the gills and digestive glands. However, AChE mRNA and protein expressions, and EP fluid pH and protein concentrations were decreased in TBT-exposed oysters. Taken together, these results suggest that antifouling biocide-induced production of ROS/RNS results in DNA damage, which may lead to decreased cellular functions in oysters. To the best of our knowledge, the present study provides the first molecular/biochemical evidence that TBT exposure results in oxidative/nitrative stress and DNA lesions in oysters.

Effects of elevated temperature on 8-OHdG expression in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica): Induction of oxidative stress biomarkers, cellular apoptosis, DNA damage and γH2AX signaling pathways

Global temperature is increasing due to anthropogenic activities and the effects of elevated temperature on DNA lesions are not well documented in marine organisms. The American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, an edible and commercially important marine mollusk) is an ideal shellfish species to study oxidative DNA lesions during heat stress. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated temperatures (24, 28, and 32 °C for one-week exposure) on heat shock protein-70 (HSP70, a biomarker of heat stress), 8‑hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG, a biomarker of pro-mutagenic DNA lesion), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), γ-histone family member X (γH2AX, a molecular biomarker of DNA damage), caspase-3 (CAS-3, a key enzyme of apoptotic pathway) and Bcl-2-associated X (BAX, an apoptosis regulator) protein and/or mRNA expressions in the gills of American oysters. Immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR results showed that HSP70, 8-OHdG, dsDNA, and γH2AX expressions in gills were significantly increased at high temperatures (28 and 32 °C) compared with control (24°C). In situ TUNEL analysis showed that the apoptotic cells in gill tissues were increased in heat-exposed oysters. Interestingly, the enhanced apoptotic cells were associated with increased CAS-3 and BAX mRNA and/or protein expressions, along with 8-OHdG levels in gills after heat exposure. Moreover, the extrapallial (EP) fluid (i.e., extracellular body fluid) protein concentrations were lower; however, the EP glucose levels were higher in heat-exposed oysters. Taken together, these results suggest that heat shock-driven oxidative stress alters extracellular body fluid conditions and induces cellular apoptosis and DNA damage, which may lead to increased 8-OHdG levels in cells/tissues in oysters.

Metabolic remodeling caused by heat hardening in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Organisms can modify and increase their thermal tolerance faster and more efficiently after a brief exposure to sublethal thermal stress. This response is called 'heat hardening' as it leads to the generation of phenotypes with increased heat tolerance. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of heat hardening on the metabolomic profile of Mytilus galloprovincialis in order to identify the associated adjustments of biochemical pathways that might benefit the mussels' thermal tolerance. Thus, mussels were exposed sequentially to two different phases (heat hardening and acclimation phases). To gain further insight into the possible mechanisms underlying the metabolic response of the heat-hardened M. galloprovincialis, metabolomics analysis was complemented by the estimation of mRNA expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), pyruvate kinase (PK) and alternative oxidase (AOX) implicated in the metabolic pathways of gluconeogenesis, glycolysis and redox homeostasis, respectively. Heat-hardened mussels showed evidence of higher activity of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and diversification of upregulated metabolic pathways, possibly as a mechanism to increase ATP production and extend survival under heat stress. Moreover, formate and taurine accumulation provide an antioxidant and cytoprotective role in mussels during hypoxia and thermal stress. Overall, the metabolic responses in non-heat-hardened and heat-hardened mussels underline the upper thermal limits of M. galloprovincialis, set at 26°C, and are in accordance with the OCLTT concept. The ability of heat-hardened mussels to undergo a rapid gain and slow loss of heat tolerance may be an advantageous strategy for coping with intermittent and often extreme temperatures.

Solutions: how adaptive changes in cellular fluids enable marine life to cope with abiotic stressors

The seas confront organisms with a suite of abiotic stressors that pose challenges for physiological activity. Variations in temperature, hydrostatic pressure, and salinity have potential to disrupt structures, and functions of all molecular systems on which life depends. During evolution, sequences of nucleic acids and proteins are adaptively modified to "fit" these macromolecules for function under the particular abiotic conditions of the habitat. Complementing these macromolecular adaptations are alterations in compositions of solutions that bathe macromolecules and affect stabilities of their higher order structures. A primary result of these "micromolecular" adaptations is preservation of optimal balances between conformational rigidity and flexibility of macromolecules. Micromolecular adaptations involve several families of organic osmolytes, with varying effects on macromolecular stability. A given type of osmolyte generally has similar effects on DNA, RNA, proteins and membranes; thus, adaptive regulation of cellular osmolyte pools has a global effect on macromolecules. These effects are mediated largely through influences of osmolytes and macromolecules on water structure and activity. Acclimatory micromolecular responses are often critical in enabling organisms to cope with environmental changes during their lifetimes, for example, during vertical migration in the water column. A species' breadth of environmental tolerance may depend on how effectively it can vary the osmolyte composition of its cellular fluids in the face of stress. Micromolecular adaptations remain an under-appreciated aspect of evolution and acclimatization. Further study can lead to a better understanding of determinants of environmental tolerance ranges and to biotechnological advances in designing improved stabilizers for biological materials.

Environment-driven shifts in inter-individual variation and phenotypic integration within subnetworks of the mussel transcriptome and proteome

The environment can alter the magnitude of phenotypic variation among individuals, potentially influencing evolutionary trajectories. However, environmental influences on variation are complex and remain understudied. Populations in heterogeneous environments might exhibit more variation, the amount of variation could differ between benign and stressful conditions, and/or variation might manifest in different ways among stages of the gene‐to‐protein expression cascade or among physiological functions. Here, we explore these three issues by quantifying patterns of inter‐individual variation in both transcript and protein expression levels among California mussels, Mytilus californianus Conrad. Mussels were exposed to five ecologically relevant treatments that varied in the mean and interindividual heterogeneity of body temperature. To target a diverse set of physiological functions, we assessed variation within 19 expression subnetworks, including canonical stress‐response pathways and empirically derived coexpression clusters that represent a diffuse set of cellular processes. Variation in expression was particularly pronounced in the treatments with high mean and heterogeneous body temperatures. However, with few exceptions, environment‐dependent shifts of variation in the transcriptome were not reflected in the proteome. A metric of phenotypic integration provided evidence for a greater degree of constraint on relative expression levels (i.e., stronger correlation) within expression subnetworks in benign, homogeneous environments. Our results suggest that environments that are more stressful on average – and which also tend to be more heterogeneous – can relax these expression constraints and reduce phenotypic integration within biochemical subnetworks. Context‐dependent “unmasking” of functional variation may contribute to interindividual differences in physiological phenotype and performance in stressful environments.

An integrated, multi-level analysis of thermal effects on intertidal molluscs for understanding species distribution patterns

Elucidating the physiological mechanisms that underlie thermal stress and discovering how species differ in capacities for phenotypic acclimatization and evolutionary adaptation to this stress is critical for understanding current latitudinal and vertical distribution patterns of species and for predicting their future state in a warming world. Such mechanistic analyses require careful choice of study systems (species and temperature-sensitive traits) and design of laboratory experiments that reflect the complexities of in situ conditions. Here, we critically review a wide range of studies of intertidal molluscs that provide mechanistic accounts of thermal effects across all levels of biological organization - behavioural, organismal, organ level, cellular, molecular, and genomic - and show how temperature-sensitive traits govern distribution patterns and capacities for coping with thermal stress. Comparisons of congeners from different thermal habitats are especially effective means for identifying adaptive variation. We employ these mechanistic analyses to illustrate how species differ in the severity of threats posed by rising temperature. Counterintuitively, we show that some of the most heat-tolerant species may be most threatened by increases in temperatures because of their small thermal safety margins and minimal abilities to acclimatize to higher temperatures. We discuss recent molecular biological and genomic studies that provide critical foundations for understanding the types of evolutionary changes in protein structure, RNA secondary structure, genome content, and gene expression capacities that underlie adaptation to temperature. Duplication of stress-related genes, as found in heat-tolerant molluscs, may provide enhanced capacity for coping with higher temperatures. We propose that the anatomical, behavioural, physiological, and genomic diversity found among intertidal molluscs, which commonly are of critical importance and high abundance in these ecosystems, makes this group of animals a highly appropriate study system for addressing questions about the mechanistic determinants of current and future distribution patterns of intertidal organisms.

Tolerance of northern Gulf of Mexico eastern oysters to chronic warming at extreme salinities

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, provides critical ecosystem services and supports valuable fishery and aquaculture industries in northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) subtropical estuaries where it is grown subtidally. Its upper critical thermal limit is not well defined, especially when combined with extreme salinities. The cumulative mortalities of the progenies of wild C. virginica from four nGoM estuaries differing in mean annual salinity, acclimated to low (4.0), moderate (20.0), and high (36.0) salinities at 28.9 °C (84 °F) and exposed to increasing target temperatures of 33.3 °C (92 °F), 35.6 °C (96 °F) or 37.8 °C (100 °F), were measured over a three-week period. Oysters of all stocks were the most sensitive to increasing temperatures at low salinity, dying quicker (i.e., lower median lethal time, LT₅₀) than at the moderate and high salinities and resulting in high cumulative mortalities at all target temperatures. Oysters of all stocks at moderate salinity died the slowest with high cumulative mortalities only at the two highest temperatures. The F1 oysters from the more southern and hypersaline Upper Laguna Madre estuary were generally more tolerant to prolonged higher temperatures (higher LT₅₀) than stocks originating from lower salinity estuaries, most notably at the highest salinity. Using the measured temperatures oysters were exposed to, 3-day median lethal Celsius degrees (LD₅₀) were estimated for each stock at each salinity. The lowest 3-day LD₅₀ (35.1-36.0 °C) for all stocks was calculated at a salinity of 4.0, while the highest 3-day LD₅₀ (40.1-44.0 °C) was calculated at a salinity of 20.0.

How to cope in heterogeneous coastal environments: Spatio-temporally endogenous circadian rhythm of valve gaping by mussels

Transitional coastal zones are subject to high degrees of temporal fluctuation in environmental conditions, with these patterns varying in space. Gaining an in depth understanding of how sessile organisms cope with and respond to such environmental changes at multiple scales is needed to i) advance fundamental knowledge, ii) predict how organisms may react to stressors and iii) support the management of halieutic resources in transitional coastal areas. We addressed this question using mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as model system. Valve-gaping sensor were deployed at multiple sites within the southern Venice Lagoon over a period of 6 months, to investigate the existence of periodicity in valve-gaping and its relationship with environmental variables, such as temperature and chlorophyll-a. Gaping behaviour was found to have periodic rhythms, of ~12 h and ~ 24 h, which were most pronounced in the inner part of lagoon part and were strongest during summer months. In autumn, the dual periodicity became weaker and mostly the 12 h remained. Gaping was closely linked with tide, but the relationship in terms of phasing varied upon location. Surprisingly, no clear direct relationships were found with chlorophyll-a, but food delivery may be mediated by tide itself. The results highlight the heterogeneity of behaviour and the endogenic nature of circadian rhythms in space and time. These findings have important implications for management of transitional areas where tidal alteration may have impacts on key behaviours, and emphasize the importance of characterizing their rhythms before using these as stress indicator. Moreover, the described tidal relationships should be included in growth models of bivalves in these systems.

Temperature adaptations of the thermophilic snail Echinolittorina malaccana: insights from metabolomic analysis

The periwinkle snail Echinolittorina malaccana, for which the upper lethal temperature is near 55°C, is one of the most heat-tolerant eukaryotes known. We conducted a multi-level investigation - including cardiac physiology, enzyme activity, and targeted and untargeted metabolomic analyses - that elucidated a spectrum of adaptations to extreme heat in this organism. All systems examined showed heat intensity-dependent responses. Under moderate heat stress (37-45°C), the snail depressed cardiac activity and entered a state of metabolic depression. The global metabolomic and enzymatic analyses revealed production of metabolites characteristic of oxygen-independent pathways of ATP generation (lactate and succinate) in the depressed metabolic state, which suggests that anaerobic metabolism was the main energy supply pathway under heat stress (37-52°C). The metabolomic analyses also revealed alterations in glycerophospholipid metabolism under extreme heat stress (52°C), which likely reflected adaptive changes to maintain membrane structure. Small-molecular-mass organic osmolytes (glycine betaine, choline and carnitine) showed complex changes in concentration that were consistent with a role of these protein-stabilizing solutes in protection of the proteome under heat stress. This thermophilic species can thus deploy a wide array of adaptive strategies to acclimatize to extremely high temperatures.

Mussel acclimatization to high, variable temperatures is lost slowly upon transfer to benign conditions

Climate change is increasing the temperature variability animals face, and thermal acclimatization allows animals to adjust adaptively to this variability. Although the rate of heat acclimatization has received some study, little is known about how long these adaptive changes remain without continuing exposure to heat stress. This study explored the rate at which field acclimatization states are lost when temperature variability is minimized during constant submersion. California mussels (Mytilus californianus) with different acclimatization states were collected from high- and low-zone sites (∼12 versus ∼5°C daily temperature ranges, respectively) and then kept submerged at 15°C for 8 weeks. Each week, the cardiac thermal performance of mussels was measured as a metric of acclimatization state: critical (Tcrit) and flatline (Tflat) temperatures were recorded. Over 8 weeks of constant submersion, the mean Tcrit of high-zone mussels decreased by 1.07°C from baseline, but low-zone mussels' mean Tcrit was unchanged. High- and low-zone mussels' mean maximum heart rate (HR) and resting HR decreased ∼12 and 35%, respectively. Tflat was unchanged in both groups. These data suggest that Tcrit and HR are more physiologically plastic in response to the narrowing of an animal's daily temperature range than Tflat is, and that an animal's prior acclimatization state (high versus low) influences the acclimatory capacity of Tcrit Approximately 2 months were required for the cardiac thermal performance of the high-zone mussels to reach that of the low-zone mussels, suggesting that acclimatization to high and variable temperatures may persist long enough to enable these animals to cope with intermittent bouts of heat stress.

Physiological responses to heat stress in an invasive mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis depend on tidal habitat

Mussels are ecologically important organisms that can survive in subtidal and intertidal zones where they experience thermal stress. We know little about how mussels from different tidal habitats respond to thermal stress. We used the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis from separate subtidal and intertidal populations to test whether heart rate and indicators of potential aerobic (citrate synthase activity) and anaerobic (cytosolic malate dehydrogenase activity) metabolic capacity are affected by increased temperatures while exposed to air or submerged in water. Subtidal mussels were affected by warming when submerged in water (decreased heart rate) but showed no effect in air. In contrast, intertidal mussels were affected by exposure to air (increased anaerobic capacity) but not by warming. Overall, physiological responses of mussels to thermal stress were dependent on their tidal habitat. These results highlight the importance of considering the natural habitat of mussels when assessing their responses to environmental challenges.

The cellular stress response and temperature: Function, regulation, and evolution

The cellular stress response (CSR) is critical for enabling organisms to cope with thermal damage to proteins, nucleic acids, and membranes. It is a graded response whose properties vary with the degree of cellular damage. Molecular damage has positive, as well as negative, function-perturbing effects. Positive effects include crucial regulatory interactions that orchestrate involvement of the different components of the CSR. Thermally unfolded proteins signal for rapid initiation of transcription of genes encoding heat shock proteins (HSPs), central elements of the heat shock response (HSR). Thermal disruption of messenger RNA (mRNA) secondary structures in untranslated regions leads to the culling of the mRNA pool: thermally labile mRNAs for housekeeping proteins are degraded by exonucleases; heat-resistant mRNAs for stress proteins like HSPs then can monopolize the translational apparatus. Thus, proteins and RNA function as "cellular thermometers," and evolved differences in their thermal stabilities enable rapid initiation of the CSR whenever cell temperature rises significantly above the normal thermal range of a species. Covalent DNA damage, which may result from increased production of reactive oxygen species, is temperature-dependent; its extent may determine cellular survival. High levels of stress that exceed capacities for molecular repair can lead to proteolysis, inhibition of cell division, and programmed cell death (apoptosis). Onset of these processes may occur later in the stress period, after initiation of the HSR, to allow HSPs opportunity to restore protein homeostasis. Delay of these energy costly processes may also result from shortfalls in availability of adenosine triphosphate and reducing power during times of peak stress.

Multimodal in situ datalogging quantifies inter-individual variation in thermal experience and persistent origin effects on gaping behavior among intertidal mussels (Mytilus californianus)

In complex habitats, environmental variation over small spatial scales can equal or exceed larger-scale gradients. This small-scale variation may allow motile organisms to mitigate stressful conditions by choosing benign microhabitats, whereas sessile organisms may rely on other behaviors to cope with environmental stresses in these variable environments. We developed a monitoring system to track body temperature, valve gaping behavior, and posture of individual mussels (Mytilus californianus) in field conditions in the rocky intertidal zone. Neighboring mussels’ body temperatures varied by up to 14°C during low tides. Valve gaping during low tide and postural adjustments, which could theoretically lower body temperature, were not commonly observed. Rather, gaping behavior followed a tidal rhythm at a warm, high intertidal site; this rhythm shifted to a circadian period at a low intertidal site and for mussels continuously submerged in a tidepool. However, individuals within a site varied considerably in time spent gaping when submerged. This behavioral variation could be attributed in part to persistent effects of mussels’ developmental environment. Mussels originating from a wave-protected, warm site gaped more widely, and they remained open for longer periods during high tide than mussels from a wave-exposed, cool site. Variation in behavior was modulated further by recent wave heights and body temperatures during the preceding low tide. These large ranges in body temperatures and durations of valve closure events – which coincide with anaerobic metabolism – support the conclusion that individuals experience “homogeneous” aggregations such as mussel beds in dramatically different fashion, ultimately contributing to physiological variation among neighbors.