Asymmetric metabolic responses of rockweed and herbivores reveal seasonal vulnerabilities to warming and acidification

Macroalgal-herbivore interactions are fundamental to the stability of coastal ecosystems and their vulnerability to climate-driven shifts will affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, the effects of climate change on species interactions may be context dependent and vary by seasonal oceanographic processes. We examined the effects of warming and acidification on an intertidal primary producer foundation species, Silvetia compressa, and its herbivore, Agathistoma eiseni, under differing upwelling regimes in early (low upwelling) and late spring (high upwelling). We measured metabolic rates including photosynthesis, respiration, and calcification after four weeks of exposure to a range of nine pH levels (7.2–8.0) at two temperature levels (16°C, 20°C). Rockweed responded more to acidification than to warming, but showed different seasonal responses, decreasing photosynthetic rates in early spring and increasing rates during late spring. Their snail consumer, however, responded most strongly to temperature, increasing both respiration and calcification rates under warm conditions in late spring. Our findings demonstrate that seasonal differences can modulate responses of macroalgae and herbivores to changing environmental conditions. Warming may increase top-down effects through increased snail metabolism, while acidification affects rockweed production to affect bottom-up forcing. By assessing physiological responses across different ecological regimes, our study advances understanding of how top-down and bottom-up processes interact in intertidal ecosystems under global change.