Thermal Performance Curves for the Kelp Lessonia corrugata

Australian Ocean Data Network hosts experimental data on the thermal tolerance of the range-restricted kelp Lessonia corrugata. The dataset includes measurements of growth and photosynthesis across a thermal range of 4–22 °C and under varying nitrate conditions. It was last updated on 2026-04-29.

Use Cases

• Modeling species distribution shifts based on experimentally derived upper thermal limits (~22–23 °C).
• Analyzing the interaction between nutrient availability (nitrate levels) and thermal performance.
• Calibrating physiological models for kelp growth using performance data across a defined temperature gradient.
• Assessing climate change impacts on marine ecosystems by comparing experimental limits to projected sea surface temperatures.

Strengths

• Includes specific, experimentally derived thermal limits: an optimum of ~16 °C and an upper limit of ~22–23 °C.
• Tests a key environmental interaction by comparing performance under low (4.5 µmol/day) and high (90 µmol/day) nitrate conditions.
• Data is hosted by an authoritative marine data organization, the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• The description does not specify the license, which may restrict use.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Laboratory experiment on juvenile sporophytes measuring growth and photosynthesis.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-29 08:13:31.081061

Geography

Likely relevant to eastern and northeastern Tasmania, as referenced in the description.