title: Interacting environmental mosaics drive geographic variation in mussel performance and predation vulnerability.
abstract: Although theory suggests geographic variation in species' performance is determined by multiple niche parameters, little consideration has been given to the spatial structure of interacting stressors that may shape local and regional vulnerability to global change. Here, we use spatially explicit mosaics of carbonate chemistry, food availability and temperature spanning 1280 km of coastline to test whether persistent, overlapping environmental mosaics mediate the growth and predation vulnerability of a critical foundation species, the mussel Mytilus californianus. We find growth was highest and predation vulnerability was lowest in dynamic environments with frequent exposure to low pH seawater and consistent food. In contrast, growth was lowest and predation vulnerability highest when exposure to low pH seawater was decoupled from high food availability, or in exceptionally warm locations. These results illustrate how interactions among multiple drivers can cause unexpected, yet persistent geographic mosaics of species performance, interactions and vulnerability to environmental change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kristy J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kroeker
authors.affiliation: Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Bodega Bay, CA, USA.|Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Blanchette
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Francisco P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.affiliation: Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Bodega Bay, CA, USA.|Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gaylord
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Helmuth
authors.affiliation: Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Bodega Bay, CA, USA.|Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tessa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Gretchen E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Menge
authors.affiliation: Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Karina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.|Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Libe
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Washburn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D004777:Environment; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D049878:Mytilus / Q000502:physiology*; D009922:Oregon; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Biogeography; emergent effects; macroecology; multidimensional niche; multiple stressors; ocean acidification