Lani U Gleason

Climate change-induced population declines of highly abundant intertidal invertebrates will affect ecosystem function and stability, but it is not fully understood which species are most vulnerable to these declines. Rocky intertidal Tegula snails live at different tidal heights and exhibit variability in heat tolerance, but the temperatures these different species experience in the field, and thus which species are most susceptible to climate change, remains unknown. Here, we use HOBO data loggers to record field temperatures in the unique thermal habitats of Tegula eiseni, Tegula funebralis, and Tegula gallina in San Diego, California. Determining the maximum temperatures each Tegula species is exposed to in the field will ultimately inform conservation efforts by identifying which Tegula species are most threatened by heat stress.