Meeting Abstract
Eelgrass and kelp beds are vital coastal habitats that are potentially threatened by warming ocean temperatures. To fully understand the effects of climate change on these habitats, the community interactions within these ecosystems must be investigated. The marine snail, Lacuna vincta, is a common herbivore that exerts significant top-down control in both habitats. We sought to determine how rising ocean temperatures affect aspects of L. vincta life history in these environments, specifically egg development time. We exposed adult female snails to three temperature conditions (12°C, 16°C and 20°C) and two habitat types (eelgrass and kelp). Egg masses from these females were collected every two days, maintained in their respective temperature and habitat treatments, and observed daily until they hatched. After 15 days, unhatched egg masses were checked for mortality. Egg mass hatching time and mortality were recorded. Hatching time was not significantly different in either habitat at 12°C or 16°C. Hatching time was only significantly shorter at 20°C for eggs laid on kelp, but not for those on eelgrass. Egg mass size did not affect hatching time. Mortality increased with temperature for egg masses in both habitat types. Our results imply that warming, especially within a near-future range, may only have limited effects on L. vincta egg development, suggesting that this aspect of their life history may be potentially resilient to climate change.
