2011 - 2012 Gimenez et al. West Scotland Coast Semibalanus balanoides scale-dependent natural variation in larval nutritional reserves
Data from a scientific publication looking into spatial variation in body size and nutritional reserves (carbon, nitrogen and lipids) of settled cyprids of the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides along the coast of West Scotland. In species with complex life cycles, laboratory studies have shown that variations in the traits of settling larvae can affect post-settlement survival and influence recruitment and benthic-pelagic coupling. However, we still know little about the magnitude and spatial scale of natural trait variation. We studied spatial variation in body size and nutritional reserves (carbon, nitrogen and lipids) of settled cyprids of the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides along the coast of West Scotland. We quantified variation among regions (north vs. south: range about700 km), locations (about 50 km), shores (about 10 km) and within shores (about 10 m). We also evaluated trait responses to gradients in chlorophyll and shore openness and compared swimming vs. settled cyprids in order to infer the likely influence of costs of substratum search on trait variation. Variability between regions was large, with higher trait values (e.g. carbon cyprid-1: 35 to 50 percent higher) in the north. Most traits correlated negatively with pelagic chlorophyll a (a proxy for larval or juvenile food availability); this counter-gradient pattern suggests an adaptive role of increased reserves, buffering benthic juveniles from low food availability during the critical early post-settlement period. Body size and nitrogen content correlated positively with shore openness; lower than expected carbon content suggest increased costs of substratum search on open shorelines. Higher nitrogen content but lower percent carbon was found in settled vs. swimming larvae, suggesting costs of sub - stratum search at the time of settlement. Overall, we uncovered the spatial scales at which trait variation, shaped by pelagic processes, can affect post-metamorphic survival, recruitment and benthic-pelagic coupling.
dataset
DASSHDT00000343
http://www.dassh.ac.uk
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
Gimenez L, Torres G, Pettersen AK, Burrows MT, Estevez A, Jenkins SR (2017) Scale-dependent natural variation in larval nutritional reserves in a marine invertebrate: implications for recruitment and cross-ecosystem coupling. Marine Ecology Progress Series 570:141-165.
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
-6.8942
-4.5211
58.8002
54.8995
creation
2009-06-18
Irish Sea
creation
2009-06-18
Minches & Western Scotland
creation
2009-06-18
Scottish Continental Shelf
creation
1954-01-01
Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland
creation
1954-01-01
North Atlantic Ocean
revision
2010-01-01
infralittoral
revision
2010-01-01
littoral
creation
2014-05-16
VIIa
creation
2014-05-16
IVb
creation
2014-05-16
VIa
creation
2014-05-16
IVa
2011-04-07
2012-05-11
publication
2017-05-16
notPlanned
Internal QR procedures at Bangor University 10 percent internal QA of MEDIN formatted data by the Data Team at the Marine Biological Association Data archived by DASSH but not disseminated. Available on request.
publication
2011-02-02
true
See the referenced specification
Data available on request through DASSH on behalf of Bangor University
DASSH terms and conditions apply (http://www.dassh.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions). Data available on request through DASSH on behalf of Bangor University
Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology
Bangor University School of Ocean Sciences
School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey,
Menai Bridge
LL59 5AB
originator
Data Manager
Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats (DASSH)
Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill
Plymouth
PL1 2PB
01752 633102
01752 633291
custodian
Data Manager
Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats (DASSH)
Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill
Plymouth
PL1 2PB
01752 633102
01752 633291
pointOfContact
2017-07-24