Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening
Abstract Climate change is impacting marine organisms and ecosystems causing ocean warming, increased precipitation, and greater frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as marine heatwaves (MHW). These climate impacts are becoming more frequent along the south-eastern Australia coast...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Discover Oceans |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44289-025-00071-8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849237671952515072 |
|---|---|
| author | Jasmine Glencross Elliot Scanes Maria Byrne Pauline M. Ross |
| author_facet | Jasmine Glencross Elliot Scanes Maria Byrne Pauline M. Ross |
| author_sort | Jasmine Glencross |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Climate change is impacting marine organisms and ecosystems causing ocean warming, increased precipitation, and greater frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as marine heatwaves (MHW). These climate impacts are becoming more frequent along the south-eastern Australia coast which is a climate change hot spot, and the centre of distribution of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata. Potential loss of this foundational habitat forming species due to climate stress is concerning from an ecological and economic perspective. We determined the impact of abrupt and gradual MHW and reduced salinity conditions on the survival and growth of juvenile stage (spat) S. glomerata. Survival and growth were measured after exposing spat to a simulated abrupt and gradual MHW (24–36 °C over 27 days) and decreased salinity. To simulate a MHW an orthogonal experimental design in a temperature block was used. There was greater survival, but not growth of spat exposed to a gradual rather than an abrupt increase to 36 °C. When a gradual MHW was combined with reduced salinity there was greater mortality at high temperatures and low salinities (15 & 10 ppt) compared to higher salinities (25 & 35 ppt). The results of this study indicate that survival of S. glomerata juveniles will be impacted more by rapidly increasing temperatures associated with an abrupt MHW compared to more gradual increases in temperature, however, this benefit to survival at extreme temperatures did not translate to growth. Overall, predicted future increased frequency and intensity of MHWs and storm events will decrease survival and potentially erode resilience. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2536c8ab4c474d26a6e9e2b47e65a823 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2948-1562 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Oceans |
| spelling | doaj-art-2536c8ab4c474d26a6e9e2b47e65a8232025-08-20T04:01:53ZengSpringerDiscover Oceans2948-15622025-07-012111410.1007/s44289-025-00071-8Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and fresheningJasmine Glencross0Elliot Scanes1Maria Byrne2Pauline M. Ross3Marine Invertebrate Futures Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of SydneyClimate Change Cluster, University of TechnologyMarine Invertebrate Futures Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of SydneyMarine Invertebrate Futures Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of SydneyAbstract Climate change is impacting marine organisms and ecosystems causing ocean warming, increased precipitation, and greater frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as marine heatwaves (MHW). These climate impacts are becoming more frequent along the south-eastern Australia coast which is a climate change hot spot, and the centre of distribution of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata. Potential loss of this foundational habitat forming species due to climate stress is concerning from an ecological and economic perspective. We determined the impact of abrupt and gradual MHW and reduced salinity conditions on the survival and growth of juvenile stage (spat) S. glomerata. Survival and growth were measured after exposing spat to a simulated abrupt and gradual MHW (24–36 °C over 27 days) and decreased salinity. To simulate a MHW an orthogonal experimental design in a temperature block was used. There was greater survival, but not growth of spat exposed to a gradual rather than an abrupt increase to 36 °C. When a gradual MHW was combined with reduced salinity there was greater mortality at high temperatures and low salinities (15 & 10 ppt) compared to higher salinities (25 & 35 ppt). The results of this study indicate that survival of S. glomerata juveniles will be impacted more by rapidly increasing temperatures associated with an abrupt MHW compared to more gradual increases in temperature, however, this benefit to survival at extreme temperatures did not translate to growth. Overall, predicted future increased frequency and intensity of MHWs and storm events will decrease survival and potentially erode resilience.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44289-025-00071-8 |
| spellingShingle | Jasmine Glencross Elliot Scanes Maria Byrne Pauline M. Ross Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening Discover Oceans |
| title | Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening |
| title_full | Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening |
| title_fullStr | Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening |
| title_full_unstemmed | Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening |
| title_short | Responses of Sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening |
| title_sort | responses of sydney rock oyster juveniles vary with marine heatwaves and freshening |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44289-025-00071-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jasmineglencross responsesofsydneyrockoysterjuvenilesvarywithmarineheatwavesandfreshening AT elliotscanes responsesofsydneyrockoysterjuvenilesvarywithmarineheatwavesandfreshening AT mariabyrne responsesofsydneyrockoysterjuvenilesvarywithmarineheatwavesandfreshening AT paulinemross responsesofsydneyrockoysterjuvenilesvarywithmarineheatwavesandfreshening |