Temperature Accelerates Growth of Pisaster ochraceus Larvae

Abstract

Ocean temperatures are slowly increasing as a result of climate change. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of rising temperatures on growth and development of Pisaster ochraceus larvae. Larvae were kept at 22°C for 13 days then transferred to another tank where they were kept between 15°C to 18°C for a further 15 days. For both temperature treatments, samples were collected for 23, 31, and 37 day-old larvae and ImageJ used to measure total larval length, total larval width, stomach width and length and ciliated band length. All larvae developed successfully, which may imply that larval development is not harmed by temperature increases. Generally, larvae were significantly larger at high temperatures. Larger larvae developed longer ciliated bands, which may have allowed for more efficient feeding and faster growth and development at high water temperatures. These results suggest that if food is abundant in the water column, P. ochraceus larvae may be able to survive marine heat waves.