The effects of temperature on the behaviour of the Antarctic sea star Odontaster validus

• Published in: Polish Polar Research
• Main Authors: Kidawa, Anna, Potocka, Marta, Janecki, Tomasz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2010
• Subjects: Ecology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Polar Research
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10183-010-0003-3; http://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/popore/31/3/article-p273.xml; https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/popore.2010.31.issue-3/v10183-010-0003-3/v10183-010-0003-3.pdf

The effects of temperature on the behaviour of the Antarctic sea star Odontaster validus Many Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates are adapted to specific environmental conditions ( e.g. low stable temperatures, high salinity and oxygen content). Changes caused by global climatic shifts can be expected to have significant impact on their physiology and distribution. Odontaster validus , an ubiquitous, omnivorous sea star is one of the "keystone species" in the Antarctic benthic communities. Laboratory experiments were carried out to study the effect of temperature rise (from 0 to 5°C) on some vital biological functions that sea stars must perform in order to survive in their environment. Parameters such as behavioural reaction of sea stars to food and food odour, locomotory performance and ability to right were measured. Temperature increase significantly impaired the ability of O. validus to perform these functions ( e.g. lowering the number of sea stars able to right, increasing time-to-right, reducing locomotory activity, weakening chemosensory reaction to food and food odour). At temperatures of 4 and 5°C a loss of motor coordination was observed, although at all tested temperatures up to 5°C there were single individuals performing successfully.