title: Lipid remodelling in the reef-building honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata, reflects acclimation and local adaptation to temperature.
abstract: Acclimation and adaptation, which are key to species survival in a changing climate, can be observed in terms of membrane lipid composition. Remodelling membrane lipids, via homeoviscous adaptation (HVA), counteracts membrane dysfunction due to temperature in poikilotherms. In order to assess the potential for acclimation and adaptation in the honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata, a reef-building polychaete that supports high biodiversity, we carried out common-garden experiments using individuals from along its latitudinal range. Individuals were exposed to a stepwise temperature increase from 15 °C to 25 °C and membrane lipid composition assessed. Our results suggest that S. alveolata was able to acclimate to higher temperatures, as observed by a decrease in unsaturation index and 20:5n-3. However, over the long-term at 25 °C, lipid composition patterns are not consistent with HVA expectations and suggest a stress response. Furthermore, unsaturation index of individuals from the two coldest sites were higher than those from the two warmest sites, with individuals from the thermally intermediate site being in-between, likely reflecting local adaptation to temperature. Therefore, lipid remodelling appears limited at the highest temperatures in S. alveolata, suggesting that individuals inhabiting warm environments may be close to their upper thermal tolerance limits and at risk in a changing climate.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, LEMAR UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD/Ifremer, Université de Brest (UBO), Université Européenne de Bretagne (UEB), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), 29280 Plouzané, France.|Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ, UK.
authors.forename: Anna P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, LEMAR UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD/Ifremer, Université de Brest (UBO), Université Européenne de Bretagne (UEB), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), 29280 Plouzané, France.|Ifremer Centre Bretagne, DYNECO, Laboratoire d'Écologie Benthique Côtière (LEBCO) 29280 Plouzané, France.
authors.forename: Flavia L D
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Ifremer Centre Bretagne, DYNECO, Laboratoire d'Écologie Benthique Côtière (LEBCO) 29280 Plouzané, France.
authors.forename: Stanislas F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.affiliation: Ifremer Centre Bretagne, PFOM, Laboratoire de Physiologie des Invertébrés (LPI), UMR 6539 (CNRS, UBO, IRD, IFREMER), Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), 29280 Plouzané, France.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pernet
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D000818:Animals; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids