On the Importance of Behavioural Adaptations in Thermally Challenged Intertidal Ectotherms: Implications for Climate Change Studies
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On the importance of behavioural adaptations in thermally challenged intertidal ectotherms: implications for climate change studies Coraline Chapperon BSc, MSc Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, School of Biological Sciences of Flinders University in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Flinders University June 2012 Supervisor: Prof. Laurent Seuront Co-supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Jim Mitchell On the importance of behavioural adaptations in thermally challenged intertidal ectotherms: implications for climate change studies Coraline Chapperon BSc, MSc Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, School of Biological Sciences of Flinders University in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Flinders University June 2012 Supervisor: Prof. Laurent Seuront Co-supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Jim Mitchell To my mother (Marie), brother (Luc) and grand-mother (Emilienne), To my son Bastian, the apple of my eye. TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary I Declaration ........................................................................................................ III Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................IV List of Tables ....................................................................................................VI List of Figures ................................................................................................ VIII Chapter I. General Introduction ......................................................................... 1 Chapter II. Temporal shifts in motion behaviour and habitat use in an intertidal gastropod............................................................................................. 18 Abstract 19 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 21 Materials and Methods ...................................................................................... 24 Field site and species studied ........................................................................ 24 Snail collection, tagging and release ............................................................. 24 Distribution of Nerita atramentosa: microhabitat occupation and status ..... 25 Activity, dispersion and motion behaviour of Nerita atramentosa .............. 26 Activity index ............................................................................................ 26 Foraging behaviour ................................................................................... 26 Dispersion ................................................................................................. 29 Statistical analyses ........................................................................................ 29 Results ......................................................................................................... 30 Temporal variability in N. atramentosa distribution pattern ........................ 30 Aggregation behaviour (Table 3, Figure 1A). ........................................... 30 Microhabitat occupation (Table 3, Figure 1B). ......................................... 31 Temporal variability in N. atramentosa dispersion and foraging behaviour 31 Activity index. ........................................................................................... 31 Dispersion (Figure 2). ............................................................................... 32 Foraging behaviour. .................................................................................. 33 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 34 N. atramentosa distribution patterns as an adaptation to exogenous and endogenous stressors ..................................................................................... 34 N. atramentosa dispersion as an adaptation to environmental stress and food availability ..................................................................................................... 36 Intermittency in foraging behaviour: an adaptive response to resource distribution .................................................................................................... 37 Technical limitations in movement studies: a challenge for intertidal ecologists ....................................................................................................... 39 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 40 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... 41 References ......................................................................................................... 42 Chapter III. Behavioural thermoregulation in a tropical gastropod: links to climate change scenarios .................................................................................... 55 Abstract ......................................................................................................... 56 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 58 Materials and Methods ...................................................................................... 61 Studied area and species ............................................................................... 61 Substrate and snail body temperature ........................................................... 62 Microhabitat selection and aggregation behaviour ....................................... 64 Statistical analyses ........................................................................................ 66 Results ......................................................................................................... 66 Littoraria scabra thermal properties and environment temperature ............. 66 Littoraria scabra thermal properties and behaviour ..................................... 67 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 69 Substrate temperature as a proxy for L. scabra body temperatures .............. 69 Micro-scale selection of substrate temperatures vs. microhabitat selection . 71 Escape behaviour as a response to thermal stress ......................................... 74 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 76 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... 76 References ......................................................................................................... 77 Chapter IV. Space-time variability in environmental thermal properties and snail thermoregulatory behaviour ..................................................................... 91 Abstract ......................................................................................................... 92 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 94 Materials and methods ...................................................................................... 97 Studied area and species ............................................................................... 97 Snail density and distribution patterns .......................................................... 98 Snail body temperature and substratum surface temperature ....................... 99 Results ....................................................................................................... 102 Space-time dynamic of N. atramentosa density and distribution patterns . 102 Boulder field ........................................................................................... 102 Rock platform ......................................................................................... 102 Space-time dynamics of environment and snail body thermal properties .. 103 Boulder field ........................................................................................... 103 Rock platform ......................................................................................... 103 Microhabitat occupation and thermal properties ........................................ 104 Boulder field ........................................................................................... 104 Rock platform ......................................................................................... 104 Aggregation behaviour and thermal properties ........................................... 105 Boulder field ........................................................................................... 105 Rock platform ......................................................................................... 106 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 106 Substratum temperature as a primary determinant of N. atramentosa mantle temperature.................................................................................................. 106 Mosaics of substrata and body temperature patterns at different spatial scales ....................................................................................................... 107 Variability in thermoregulatory behaviour: a gap in climate change studies ... ......................................................................................................