Phenotypic data for M. edulis responses to warming and ocean acidification

1. In mosaic marine habitats, such as intertidal zones, ocean acidification (OA) is exacerbated by high variability of pH, temperature, and biological CO2 production. The non-linear interactions among these drivers can be context-specific and their effect on organisms in these habitats remains largely unknown, warranting further investigation.

2. We were particularly interested in Mytilus edulis (the blue mussel) from intertidal zones of the Gulf of Maine (GOM), USA for this study. GOM is a hot spot of global climate change (average Sea Surface Temperature (SST) increasing by > 0.2 °C y−1 ) with > 60% decline in mussel population over the past 40 years.

3. Here, we utilize bioenergetic underpinnings to identify limits of stress tolerance in M. edulis from GOM exposed to warming and OA. We have measured whole-organism oxygen consumption rates and metabolic biomarkers in mussels exposed to control and elevated temperatures (10 vs. 15 °C, respectively) and current and moderatel...