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Torres, Gabriela; Geißel, Jan Phillipp; Espinosa-Novo, Noé; Giménez, Luis: Growth rate and Carbon and Nitrogen content of Carcinus maenas in a laboratory experiment [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.989514 (dataset in review)

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Abstract:
Larval and adult stages of marine species with complex life cycles often differ in their thermal tolerance, with larvae typically showing narrower limits. To assess how such stage-specific differences may influence species' range dynamics under climate change, we quantified larval performance of the European shore crab Carcinus maenas across an environmental temperature gradient. We measured larval survival rates (%) from hatching to metamorphosis to megalopa, duration of development (days), and growth (day-1) at seven constant temperature treatments (9-27 °C, in 3 °C increments). Data represent experimental observations of larval performance under laboratory conditions and are reported at the level of replicates by females of each population. Replication was performed on two levels: 5 * 10 larvae were reared per female, and 4 to 6 females were used per population. Larvae were collected from populations at the southern and northern parts of the native European distribution (Vigo, Spain; Bergen and Trondheim, Norway). The data were collected during one reproductive period in 2022. We aimed to test the hypothesis that larvae from northern populations are more tolerant to low temperatures, while southern populations exhibit increased tolerance to high temperatures, which would facilitate poleward range expansion under warming conditions.
Our results show that larvae from Spain displayed slightly higher survival rates to megalopa at warmer temperatures compared to those from northern populations. However, little variation in tolerance was observed between northern Spain and Norway, with low survival and growth at the temperature extremes (9 °C and 27 °C). Notably, larvae from Norway exhibited faster development at low temperatures, which may represent an adaptive response to local thermal conditions. These findings suggest that future shifts in the distribution of C. maenas are most likely to be driven by rising temperatures, unless populations at the range edges evolve enhanced tolerance to thermal extremes.
Keyword(s):
intraspecific trait variation; Laboratory experiment; larval performance; latitudinal variation; phenotypic physiological plasticity; thermal tolerance
References:
Geißel, Jan Phillipp; Espinosa, Noé; Giménez, Luis; Aberle, Nicole; van der Meeren, Gro I; Harzsch, Steffen; Boersma, Maarten; Torres, Gabriela (2025): Larval Physiological Responses to Temperature Across the European Distribution Range of a Global Invader at Home: The Shore Crab Carcinus maenas. Ecology and Evolution, 15(6), e71587, https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71587
Funding:
German Research Foundation (DFG), grant/award no. RTG 2010: Biological RESPONSEs to Novel and Changing Environments
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 58.996665 * Median Longitude: 5.212707 * South-bound Latitude: 42.119892 * West-bound Longitude: -8.821924 * North-bound Latitude: 63.593311 * East-bound Longitude: 10.349145
Date/Time Start: 2022-04-11T09:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2022-05-29T15:00:00
Event(s):
Carcinus_maenas_Bergen_2022_1 * Latitude: 60.132564 * Longitude: 5.106907 * Date/Time Start: 2022-05-16T15:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2022-05-29T15:00:00 * Location: Austevoll, Norway * Method/Device: Sampling by hand (HAND) * Comment: Area description: Spissoya Badeplass, Bakkasund, Austevoll, Norway. Device details: hand collection, intertidal.
Carcinus_maenas_Bergen_2022_2 * Latitude: 60.118747 * Longitude: 5.062446 * Date/Time Start: 2022-05-16T15:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2022-05-29T15:00:00 * Location: Austevoll, Norway * Method/Device: Sampling by hand (HAND) * Comment: Area description: Kalve, Austevoll, Norway. Device details: hand collection, intertidal.
Carcinus_maenas_Bergen_2022_3 * Latitude: 60.120535 * Longitude: 5.057104 * Date/Time Start: 2022-05-16T15:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2022-05-29T15:00:00 * Location: Austevoll, Norway * Method/Device: Sampling by hand (HAND) * Comment: Area description: next to Fv156 62, 5385 Bakkasund, Austevoll, Norway. Device details: hand collection, intertidal.
Parameter(s):
#NameShort NameUnitPrincipal InvestigatorMethod/DeviceComment
1Type of studyStudy typeTorres, Gabriela
2Date/time start, experimentDate/time start expTorres, Gabriela
3Date/time end, experimentDate/time end expTorres, Gabriela
4Species, unique identificationSpecies UIDTorres, GabrielaReference in WoRMS (WoRMS)
5Species, unique identification (Semantic URI)Species UID (Semantic URI)Torres, GabrielaReference in WoRMS (WoRMS)
6Species, unique identification (URI)Species UID (URI)Torres, GabrielaReference in WoRMS (WoRMS)
7LocationLocationTorres, Gabriela
8Carcinus maenas, femaleC. maenas fTorres, Gabriela
9Treatment: temperatureT:temp°CTorres, Gabriela
10NumberNoTorres, Gabriela
11Development, durationDevelopment durdaysTorres, Gabriela
12Carcinus maenas, dry mass per individualC. maenas dm/indµg/#Torres, GabrielaAnalytical Balance, Sartorius, MCA2.7S-2S00-M [precision 1 μg]
13Carcinus maenas, carbon content per individualC. maenas C/indµg/#Torres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany
14Carcinus maenas, nitrogen content per individualC. maenas N/indµg/#Torres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany
15Carcinus maenas, dry mass per individual, initialC. maenas dm/ind initialµg/#Torres, GabrielaAnalytical Balance, Sartorius, MCA2.7S-2S00-M [precision 1 μg]
16Carcinus maenas, carbon content per individual, initialC. maenas C/ind initialµg/#Torres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany
17Carcinus maenas, nitrogen content per individual, initialC. maenas N/ind initialµg/#Torres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany
18Carcinus maenas, carbon/nitrogen ratioC. maenas C/NTorres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany
19Carcinus maenas, growth rateC. maenas µ1/dayTorres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, GermanyBased on DW [1/day]
20Carcinus maenas, growth rateC. maenas µ1/dayTorres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, GermanyBased on C [1/day]
21Carcinus maenas, growth rateC. maenas µ1/dayTorres, GabrielaCHSN Elemental Analyser, Vario EL Cube, Elementar, Langenselbold, GermanyBased on N [1/day]
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0) (License comes into effect after moratorium ends)
Status:
Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)
Size:
19171 data points

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