Resistance of rocky intertidal communities to oceanic climate fluctuations

other studies have found changes in intertidal communities following these particular climate events [102], we did not. Fourth, our recent experiments at many of these same sites showed that recovery rates from annual experimental disturbance are declining and becoming more variable, suggesting declining resilience [11]. Additionally, several key ecological metrics (eco- logical subsidies, mussel performance, and sea star performance) are either diminishing or increasing in variability [12]. Below we discuss the apparent disconnect between ecological processes and community patterns, ask why this apparent resistance might exist, explore the Fig 9. Bivariate regressions between the percent cover of focal functional groups (significant functional groups in Table 2c with the 8 focal climate variables in the low zone. Each data point is the average abundance of a functional group for a site and year. Environmental drivers included Pacific Decadal Oscillation (mean PDO), North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (mean NPGO), Multivariate El Niño Southern Oscillation Index (mean ENSO), Biologically Effective Upwelling Transport Index (mean BEUTI), the standard deviation in BEUTI (SD BEUTI), the maximum daily air temperature by site (Max Air Temp), the mean daily water temperature by site (Mean SST) and the years since the initial sea star wasting disease outbreak (Yrs since SSWD). Colors correspond to functional groups, with bare space in gray, surf grass (Phyllospadix spp.) in green,

Hedophyllum sessile in yellow, articulated coralline algae in pink, and limpets in dark purple. Units are in percent cover except limpets are in density m-2. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297697.g009 PLOS ONE Resistance of rocky intertidal communities PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297697 May 29, 2024 21 / 34