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Attachment capacity of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus in a range of seawater velocities in relation to test morphology and tube foot mechanical properties

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Abstract

Intertidal rocky shores are stressful environments where benthic invertebrates experience large wave-induced hydrodynamic forces that can detach them from the substratum. The tube feet of echinoids counteract these forces and help them remain securely affixed. Sea urchins display a high degree of phenotypic plasticity which may help them cope with hydrodynamic stress. We evaluated whether habitats presenting different seawater velocities induce plastic responses in the attachment capacity of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus by quantifying their morphology and the adhesive and mechanical properties of their tube feet. Intertidal adult sea urchins from three subpopulations were collected around the Crozon peninsula (France). Localities differed according to measured water velocities. Size was significantly lower in the two most exposed sites where sea urchins also presented a higher density of tube feet. Tube foot adhesive properties were not significantly different between sites, but their extensibility and toughness were significantly higher in individuals from the most exposed site. Using this information, we calculated a safety factor to predict the flow velocity that would cause detachment from the substratum. It showed individuals from the most exposed habitat would resist higher flow velocities (up to 7.59 ± 0.90 m s−1). Both morphometry and tube foot mechanical properties vary among subpopulations and show an intraspecific plasticity in P. lividus. Although, differences in sea water velocity may be one cause of this intraspecific variation, it likely results from a combination of biotic and abiotic factors.

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Abbreviations

σ :

Stress

Δl :

Extension

ε :

Strain

µ :

Dynamic viscosity

ρ :

Density

ADV:

Acoustic Doppler velocimeter

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CC:

Cap de la Chèvre

C d :

Drag coefficient

C l :

Lift coefficient

F d :

Disk detachment force

F g :

Global detachment force

F hydro :

Hydrodynamic force

F max :

Maximal attachment force

F t :

Traction force

FWL:

Fractional weight loss

IL:

Illien

I :

Length

l o :

Initial length

L :

Sea urchin length (test diameter with spines)

MO:

Morgat

PS:

Polystyrene

PVC:

Polyvinyl chloride

Re :

Reynolds number

SCT:

Cross-sectional surface area of the stem connective tissue layer

S d :

Disk adhesive surface

SF:

Safety factor

S g :

Global adhesive surface area

S pl :

Planform projected surface area

S pr :

Profile projected surface area

SHOM:

French National Hydrographic Service

t :

Temperature

T :

Tenacity

TF:

Number of adoral tube feet

T d :

Disk tenacity

T g :

Global tenacity

u :

Water velocity

UV:

Ultraviolet

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Acknowledgements

M. Cohen and C. Moureaux are holders of Belgian FRIA - Fund for Research in Industry and Agriculture PhD fellowships. Ph. Dubois and P. Flammang are Research Directors of the National Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS, Belgium). The study was supported by an ARES—Research and Higher Education Academy doctoral grant. We thank M. Bauwens and Ph. Pernet for their contributions in conducting the field work, M. Collard for her advices and unconditional assistance, S. MZoudi, M. Bauwens and Th. Dupont and for their valuable technical support in the laboratory. We thank the editor and two reviewers for their useful and constructive feedback on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes Marins et Biomimétisme, Institut des Biosciences, Université de Mons, 23 Place du Parc, 7000, Mons, Belgium

    Mishal Cohen-Rengifo & Patrick Flammang

  2. Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, (CP160/15), Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Mishal Cohen-Rengifo, Claire Moureaux & Philippe Dubois

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  1. Mishal Cohen-Rengifo
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  2. Claire Moureaux
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  3. Philippe Dubois
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Correspondence to Mishal Cohen-Rengifo.

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Animals used in our experiments were maintained and treated in compliance with the guidelines specified by the Belgian Ministry of Trade and Agriculture for the care and use of animals.

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Cohen-Rengifo, M., Moureaux, C., Dubois, P. et al. Attachment capacity of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus in a range of seawater velocities in relation to test morphology and tube foot mechanical properties. Mar Biol 164, 79 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3114-0

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