Thermal Responses of Intertidal Gastropods

Intertidal gastropods inhabit one of the most thermally dynamic habitats on Earth, where body temperatures fluctuate rapidly with tidal cycles, solar irradiance and substrate conduction. These animals deploy a suite of strategies to survive emersion during low tide, ranging from behavioural aggregation in sheltered crevices to orientation adjustments that minimise direct heat gain. Morphological traits such as shell pigmentation, thickness and surface texture influence heat absorption and water loss, while biochemical and cellular mechanisms—most notably the induction of heat-shock proteins and antioxidant enzymes—protect critical proteins and membranes under acute thermal stress. Intraspecific and geographic variation in these responses underscores the role of local adaptation, with some populations exhibiting greater heat tolerance or enhanced water economy than others. Group thermoregulation, including collective cooling through gaping or mutual shading, can buffer individuals against peak temperatures, although the efficacy of such mechanisms depends on aggregation density and species composition. As global temperatures and the frequency of marine heatwaves increase, understanding the interplay between behavioural, physiological and ecological responses is essential for predicting the persistence of gastropod populations and the integrity of rocky-shore communities.

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Thermal Responses of Intertidal Gastropods publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermal responses of intertidal gastropods across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Thermal tolerance: The range of body temperatures an organism can endure before physiological function fails.

Thermoregulation: Behavioural or physiological adjustments that maintain body temperature within viable limits.

Heat-shock proteins (Hsp70): A class of stress-inducible proteins that stabilise and refold damaged proteins under thermal stress.

Emersion: Period during low tide when intertidal organisms are exposed to air.

Albedo: The proportion of incident solar radiation reflected by a surface, affecting heat absorption.

References

1. Intraspecific Variation in Cellular and Biochemical Heat Response Strategies of Mediterranean Xeropicta derbentina [Pulmonata, Hygromiidae]. PLOS ONE (2014).
2. Variabilidad geogrfica en la tolerancia trmica y economa hdrica del gastrpodo intermareal Nodilittorina peruviana (Gastropoda: Littorinidae, Lamarck, 1822). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural (2000).
3. Facing the Heat: Does Desiccation and Thermal Stress Explain Patterns of Orientation in an Intertidal Invertebrate?. PLOS ONE (2016).
4. Euendolithic Infestation of Mussel Shells Indirectly Improves the Thermal Buffering Offered by Mussel Beds to Associated Molluscs, but One Size Does Not Fit All. Diversity (2023).