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Similar metabolic responses of co-occurring post-settlement mussels to temperature change despite distinct geographical distributions

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Abstract

For marine animals with biphasic life stages, different environmental conditions are experienced during ontogeny so that physiological constraints on early stages could explain adult distributions and life history traits. The invasive and cool-temperate adapted Mytilus galloprovincialis intertidal mussel approaches the eastern limit of its biogeographic distribution on the south coast of South Africa, where it shares a habitat with the warm-temperate adapted and indigenous Perna perna mussel. As adults, the two species exhibit different metabolic regulation capacities in response to temperature. We compared the acute metabolic response to temperature between species during the post-settlement recruit stage. Aerobic respiration rates of recently settled recruits were measured monthly for 5 months for temperatures 5 °C above or below the ambient field seawater temperature at the time of collection. Unlike adults, the capacity for aerobic metabolic regulation in response to temperature differed little between species under the conditions tested, indicating a similar degree of phenotypic or developmental plasticity in response to the thermal environment. In addition, monthly variations in metabolic patterns indicate unexpectedly high plasticity in response to recent seasonal thermal history for both species.

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Data availability

Data will be made available on reasonable request. Data and metadata are available on the Open Science Framework at: https://osf.io/zuft5/?view_only=00fab1bf21e74e398e51f2be243c114d

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation to CDM (Grant number 64801). Aldi Nel was supported by a grant holder-linked postdoctoral bursary from the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP). Use of infrastructure and equipment was provided by the SAIAB-NRF Aquatic Ecophysiology Research Platform (AERP) at Rhodes University.

Funding

Funding was provided by South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity and Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa (Grant no. 64801). This research was also funded by the South African Research Chairs Initiative through the South African National Department of Science and Innovation/National Research Foundation, by a Community of Practice Grant in Marine Spatial Planning (UID: 110612).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Private Bag 1015, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Aldi Nel, Olwethu O. Duna & Francesca Porri

  2. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Aldi Nel, Christopher D. McQuaid, Olwethu O. Duna & Francesca Porri

  3. Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Helgoland, Germany

    Luis Giménez

  4. School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Anglesey, UK

    Luis Giménez

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  1. Aldi Nel
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  2. Christopher D. McQuaid
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  3. Olwethu O. Duna
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  4. Luis Giménez
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  5. Francesca Porri
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Contributions

Data collection and establishment of experimental protocols were performed by AN and OD, while study conceptualization and manuscript writing was performed by AN, CDM, LG and FP. The experimental equipment, methods and resources were governed by CDM and FP.

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Correspondence to Aldi Nel.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Collection permit from the department of environmental affairs of the Republic of South Africa: RES2019/30.

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Nel, A., McQuaid, C.D., Duna, O.O. et al. Similar metabolic responses of co-occurring post-settlement mussels to temperature change despite distinct geographical distributions. Mar Biol 170, 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-022-04147-3

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