LAUSR

Abstract Poleward migrations of coastal marine species are occurring due to anthropogenic climate change. Temperature is a known driver of species distributions, however, the specific influence of temperature responsible for ecological disruption are diverse and often species-specific. If we are to predict future impacts of climate change it is imperative we have a comprehensive understanding of the influences of temperature at the scale of individual organisms, especially for ecosystem engineer species. In this study, manipulative mesocosm experiments were conducted to explore how temperature affects limpet feeding and activity rates, and duration of tenacity ability of the foot was used to assess the impact of water temperature on biological function. Mesocosm trials and biological function analysis indicated that P. vulgata may be more eurythermal, whilst P. depressa has a higher thermal tolerance while performing simple biological functions at higher temperatures. These investigations supplement the established body of research aimed at improving the predictive power of species distribution models (SDM) used to forecast the impact of climate change by pointing to potential importance of sub-lethal effects upon behaviour and performance.