Modeling the effects of environmental variability on Balanus glandula larval development

Planktonic larvae encounter variability in the marine environment as they develop, and rates of larval development are affected by changes in certain environmental variables. We examine the effects of variation in environmental parameters on the duration of the naupliar period of Balanus glandula larvae. Naupliar development rate is modeled as a function of temperature and food concentration. Simulations of the time course of development were driven by time series of temperature and food concentration collected at two locations on the US west coast. Predicted naupliar durations are reasonable in comparison to previous observations. Simulations of larval development and dispersal were driven by output of a three-dimensional physical circulation model and remotely sensed chlorophyll. These simulations demonstrate the impact of spatial variation in current velocity, temperature and chlorophyll on the duration of the larval period, the dispersal trajectory of these organisms and ultimately on recruitment success. Our naupliar development model coupled with a physical circulation model is a useful tool for addressing questions of intertidal population ecology.