Geographic and seasonal patterns and limits on the adaptive response to temperature of European Mytilus spp. and Macoma balthica populations

• DOI: 10.1007/s00442-007-0808-x
• Publication Date: 2007-09-10T08:45:33Z
• Authors: Jeroen M. Jansen; Annelies E. Pronker; Sandra Kube; Adam Sokolowski; J. Carlos Sola; Mikel A. Marquiegui; Doris Schiedek; Sjoerd Wendelaar ...; Maciej Wolowicz; Herman Hummel
• Keywords: Macoma balthica

Seasonal variations in seawater temperature require extensive metabolic acclimatization cold-blooded organisms inhabiting the coastal waters of Europe. Given energetic costs acclimatization, differences adaptive capacity to climatic conditions are be expected among distinct populations species that distributed over a wide geographic range. We studied seasonal adjustments two very common bivalve taxa at European scale. To this end we sampled 16 Mytilus spp. and 10 Macoma balthica from 39° 69°N. The results large-scale comprehensive comparison demonstrated cycles rates which were maximized during winter springtime, often reduced summer autumn. Studying sensitivity thermal variations, found broad range Q values occurred under relatively cold conditions. As habitat temperatures increased narrowed, reaching bottleneck southern marginal summer. For spp., genetic-group-specific clines limits on observed corresponding maximum these presently experience. Such specific limitations indicate differential adaptation divergent groups. They may explain currently migrations mussel distributions invasions. Our provide practical framework for ecophysiology bivalves, assessment environmental changes due climate change its impact (and consequences for) aquaculture.