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Offspring size varies at all levels of organisation, among species, mothers and clutches. This variation is thought to be the result of a tradeoff between offspring quality and quantity, where larger offspring perform better but are more costly to produce. Local environmental conditions alter the benefits of increased offspring size and thereby mediate selection on this trait. For sessile organisms, dispersal is a crucial part of the offspring phase, and in animals, bigger offspring tend to better endure longer dispersal distances than smaller offspring because they have more energy. Theory predicts that increasing distances between suitable habitats strengthens selection for larger offspring. We manipulated the dispersal duration of offspring of different sizes in the bryozoan Watersipora subtorquata and then examined the relationship between offspring size and post-metamorphic performance in the field. We found that selection on offspring size is altered by larval experience. Larger offspring had higher post-settlement performance if the larval period was short but, contrary to current theory, performed worse when the larval period was extended. The reversal of the relationship between offspring size and performance by extending the larval phase in Watersipora may be due to the way in which offspring size affects growth in this species. Regardless of the mechanism, it appears that experiences in one life-history stage alter selection on offspring size in another stage, even when they occupy identical habitats as adults. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The life histories of modular organisms are complicated, where selection and optimization can occur at both organismal and modular levels. At a modular level, growth, reproduction and death can occur in one module, independently of others. Across modular groups, there are no formal investigations of selection on module longevity. We used two field experiments to test whether selection acts on module longevity in a sessile marine invertebrate and whether selection varies across successional gradients and resource regimes. We found that selection does act on module longevity and that the strength of selection varies with environmental conditions. In environments where interspecific competition is high, selection favours colonies with longer zooid (module) longevity for colonies that initially received high levels of maternal investment. In environments where food availability is high and flow rate is low, selection also favours colonies with longer zooid longevity. These patterns of selection provide partial support for module longevity theory developed for plants. Nevertheless, that selection on module longevity is so context-dependent suggests that variation in module longevity is likely to be maintained in this system.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) may cause significant DNA damages when interacting with shallow water organisms, primarily in the tropics. Here we investigate DNA repair kinetics in two shallow water colonial marine invertebrates, the scleractinian coral Seriatopora hystrix and the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri. Cells from both species were irradiated with UVA/UVB in vitro. Using the alkaline (B. schlosseri) and the neutral (S. hystrix) versions of the comet assay, DNA damage and repair were measured. After 24 h, little DNA repair was recorded in the irradiated Botryllus cells for both types of radiation (UVB 3.55 W/s/UVA 8.09 W/s, 15 min radiation each), revealing twice (30%) as much apoptotic cells as controls. Cells of S. hystrix showed a highly efficient DNA repair capacity (i.e. complete DNA repair within 30 min post-irradiation), coincident with their endurance to reactive oxygen species impacts. Therefore, while S. hystrix and likely other shallow water corals use efficient DNA repair mechanisms, B. schlosseri and possibly other similar species are reliant on UVR sheltered sites to maintain DNA integrity. The low repair capacity of B. schlosseri might be explained by the ‘disposable soma’ concept, where zooidal soma in this species is cast off and recycled on a weekly basis. Further research is needed to elucidate the spectrum of responses used by shallow water sedentary marine invertebrates to cope with daily high UVR levels.

1.Population density affects individual performance, though its effects are often mixed. For sessile species, increases in population density typically reduce performance. Still, cases of positive density dependence do occur in sessile systems and demand explanation. The stress gradient hypothesis (SGH) predicts that under stressful conditions, positive effects of facilitation may outweigh the negative effects of competition. 2.While some elements of the SGH are well studied, its potential to explain intraspecific facilitation has received little attention. Further, there have been questions regarding whether the SGH holds if the stressor is a resource. Most studies of interactions between the environment and intraspecific facilitation have relied on natural environmental gradients; manipulative studies are much rarer. 3.To test the effects of intraspecific density and resources, we manipulated resource availability over natural population densities for the marine bryozoan Watersipora subtorquata. 4.We found negative effects of density on colony performance in low resource environments, but mainly positive density-dependence in high resource environments. By adding resources, competition effects were reduced and the positive effects of facilitation were revealed. 5.Our results suggest that resource availability mediates the relative strength of competition and facilitation in our system. We also suggest that intraspecific facilitation is more common than may be appreciated and that environmental variation may mediate the balance between negative and positive density-dependence. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.