Seasonal effects of short-term stress on susceptibility to herbivores and DMSP induction in the intertidal green alga Ulva fenestrata

When emersed, intertidal seaweeds experience rapid changes in environmental conditions. On warm sunny days, seaweeds can desiccate soon after emersion. On rainy days or in areas with freshwater inputs, they may experience rapid drops in salinity. To determine whether one low tide’s exposure to environmental stress alters seaweed growth, palatability to herbivores, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) concentrations, we exposed Ulva fenestrata to desiccation and hyposaline conditions for 3 h in summer and winter. Two days later, summer desiccation decreased growth, consumption by Lacuna vincta, and DMSP by 71%, 83%, and 67%, relative to controls. Winter desiccation reduced DMSP by 19% and did not affect growth or L. vincta feeding. Summer hyposaline conditions increased growth by 75% but did not affect L. vincta grazing or DMSP, whereas winter hyposaline conditions reduced growth by 37%. After 2 days of exposure to L. vincta, seaweeds were allowed to recover for 7 days, then DMSP was measured. U. fenestrata desiccated in the summer did not survive. Average DMSP concentrations were 127% higher in grazed than ungrazed seaweed in the summer salinity experiment, providing evidence that grazing induces DMSP. No DMSP induction occurred in winter, possibly because grazing rates were much lower. In a follow-up summer desiccation experiment, maximum quantum yields (MQYs) and DMSP decreased to 12% and 14% of controls within an hour. After 7 days, MQY and DMSP concentrations recovered, but growth was 81–97% lower in seaweeds desiccated for 30–60 min, relative to controls. These results provide the first evidence for grazer-induced DMSP increases.