Impacts on species

preformance

(microcosms):

In our “thermalcosm” we can

test performance of organisms

under a gradient of 11

temperatures to create a high

resolution “thermal performance

curve” (TPC). Normally,

we expose them to a range

between 15-35°C degrees

(including both past winter

temperatures and predicted

maximum summer

temperatures), with an accuracy

of about ±0.2 °C. So far, the TPC

of 14 species was tested,

including both native and invasive macroalgae and invertebrate species. In most cases, we have found that the thermal optimum performance temperature is below today’s summer temperature maxima (around 31 °C) for most native species (but not all). All tested aliens had an optimum above summer maxima.