Last update: February 2024

Research interests: Marine invertebrate ecology, population ecology, early life history

My research focuses primarily on the ecology of the early juvenile stage of marine invertebrates such as snails, barnacles, abalone, mussels, bryozoans, tubeworms, crabs, and ascidians.  Although Thorson had identified the early juvenile period as a potentially critical stage of life as far back as 1966, very few other studies examined the ecology of early juveniles until the late 1980s.  Since then, however, juvenile invertebrates have been the object of increasing interest among both fundamental and applied researchers (e.g. fisheries and aquaculture).  We now know that Type III survivorship is widespread, and perhaps even universal, among benthic marine invertebrates: mortality levels exceeding 90% during the first 1-4 months of juvenile life are common (Gosselin & Qian 1997).  Such high mortality rates are expected to exert a considerable influence on the dynamics, distribution, and evolution of populations.  We don't know much, however, about the factors responsible for juvenile mortality, of how these selective pressures have shaped the evolution of the species, or the extent to which juvenile mortality influences population abundance and structure.
Invertebrate developmentResearch in my lab explores all aspects of early juvenile ecology.  Much of our current work aims to understand why populations of benthic invertebrates vary broadly in abundance, over time and from one location to another.  I'm particularly interested in determining to what extent the early juvenile stage is responsible for these variations in abundance, and in incorporating knowledge of early juvenile ecology into the management of natural populations of invertebrate species.  Finally, I'm interested in identifying and ranking early juvenile mortality factors, such as starvation, predation, and abiotic stresses such as climate conditions in terms of their impact as selective pressures, and to discover the adaptive significance of early juvenile and life history traits.


Publications

Caasi OJC , Gosselin LA, Juinio-Meρez MA (2023) Size-dependent predation on juvenile sandfish, Holothuria scabra by seagrass-associated crabs. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 113: 1–13   Full text online

Mendt SR, Gosselin LA (2022) Role of initial energy reserves on stress tolerance thresholds during the early benthic phase in intertidal invertebrates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 686: 1-13   FEATURE ARTICLE: Full text online

Mendt SR, Gosselin LA (2021) Role of depleted initial energy reserves in early benthic phase mortality of six marine invertebrate species. Ecology and Evolution  11: 8882–8896   Full text online

Iwabuchi BL, Gosselin LA (2020) Implications of acute temperature and salinity tolerance thresholds for the persistence of intertidal invertebrate populations experiencing climate change. Ecology and Evolution 10: 7739–7754   Full text online


Hamilton HJ, Gosselin LA (2020) Ontogenetic shifts and interspecies variation in tolerance to desiccation and heat at the early benthic phase of six intertidal invertebrates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 634: 15-28   Abstract

Iwabuchi BL, Gosselin LA (2019) Long-term trends and regional variability in sea surface temperature, salinity, and intertidal rock temperature on Vancouver Island, Canada. Bulletin of Marine Science 95: 337-354  Abstract

Gosselin LA, Gallego R, Peters-Didier J, Sewell MA (2019) Field evidence of interpopulation variation in oocyte size in a marine invertebrate in relation to contrasting temperature and food availability. Marine Ecology Progress Series 619: 69-84  Abstract

Sandee SD, Van Hamme JD, Gosselin LA (2016) Testing microbial pathogens as a cause of early juvenile mortality in wild populations of benthic invertebrates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 562: 53-63  Abstract

Hansen SC, Gosselin LA (2016) Are hatchery-reared abalone naive of predators? Comparing the behaviours of wild and hatchery-reared northern abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana (Jonas, 1845). Aquaculture Research 47: 1727-1736  
Abstract

Parekh PA, Paetkau MJ, Gosselin LA (2014) Historical frequency of wind dispersal events and role of topography in the dispersal of anostracan cysts in a semi-arid environment. Hydrobiologia 740: 51-59  Abstract


de Bruyn RAJ, Gosselin LA (2014) Prevalence of ontogenetic changes in colour brightness among benthic invertebrates and their association with microhabitat shifts. Marine Ecology Progress Series 498: 147-159   Full text pdf

Straughan NA, Gosselin LA (2014) Ontogenetic changes in shell preferences and resource partitioning by the hermit crabs Pagurus hirsutiusculus and P. granosimanus.  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 451: 1-8     Abstract
    Above article covered by Smithsonian.com "Smartnews" website

Jenewein BT, Gosselin LA (2013) Early benthic phase mortality of the barnacle Balanus glandula is influenced by Fucus spp. cover but not by weather-related abiotic conditions. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 449: 28-35   Full text pdf

Hansen SC, Gosselin LA (2013) Do predators, handling stress or field acclimation periods influence the survivorship of hatchery-reared abalone Haliotis kamtschatkana outplanted into natural habitats?  Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 23: 246-253    Full text pdf

Jenewein BT, Gosselin LA (2013) Ontogenetic shift in stress tolerance thresholds of Mytilus trossulus: effects of desiccation and heat on juvenile mortality.  Marine Ecology Progress Series 481: 147-159   Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Sewell MA (2013) Reproduction, larval development and settlement of the intertidal serpulid polychaete Spirobranchus cariniferus. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 93: 1249–1256   Full text pdf

Nielsen TV, Gosselin LA (2011) Can a scavenger benefit from environmental stress? Role of salinity stress and abundance of preferred food items in controlling population abundance of the snail Lirabuccinum dirum.  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 410: 80-86   Full text pdf

Almeda R, Messmer AM, Sampedro N, Gosselin LA (2011)  Feeding rates and abundance of marine invertebrate planktonic larvae under harmful algal bloom conditions off Vancouver Island.  Harmful Algae 10: 194–206  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Jones LA (2010) Effects of solar radiation on barnacle settlement, early postsettlement mortality, and community development in the intertidal zone. Marine Ecology Progress Series 407:149-158  Full text pdf

Dobretsov SV, Gosselin LA and Qian PY (2010) Effect of light and solar ultraviolet radiation on tropical microbial and macrofouling communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series 402: 31-43  Full text pdf

Griffiths AM, Gosselin LA (2008) Ontogenetic shift in susceptibility to predators in juvenile northern abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana.  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 360: 85-93  Full text pdf

Lloyd MJ and Gosselin LA (2007) Role of maternal provisioning in controlling interpopulation variation in hatching size in the marine snail Nucella ostrina. Biological Bulletin 213: 316-324  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Rehak R (2007) Initial juvenile size and environmental severity: the influence of predation and wave exposure on hatching size in Nucella ostrina.  Marine Ecology Progress Series 339: 143–155  Full text pdf

Thiyagarajan V, Pechenik JA, Gosselin LA, Qian PY (2007) Juvenile growth in barnacles: combined effect of delayed metamorphosis and sub-lethal exposure of cyprids to low-salinity stress.  Marine Ecology Progress Series 344:173-184  Full text pdf

Hung OS, Gosselin LA, Thiyagarajan V, Wu RSS, Qian PY (2005)  Do effects of ultraviolet radiation on microbial films have indirect effects on larval attachment of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite?  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 323: 16-26 Full text pdf

Gosselin LA (2004) Localized synchronous spawning of Mytilus californianus Conrad in Barkley Sound, British Columbia, Canada.  Journal of Shellfish Research 23: 529-533     Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Qian PY (2000) Can bacterivory sustain survival and growth in early juveniles of the bryozoan Bugula neritina, the polychaete Hydroides elegans, and the barnacle Balanus amphitrite?  Marine Ecology Progress Series 192:163-172  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Qian PY (1999)  Analysing energy content: a new microassay and an assessment of the applicability of acid dichromate assays.  Hydrobiologia 390: 141-151  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Qian PY (1997)  Can bacterivory alone sustain larval development in the polychaete Hydroides elegans and the barnacle Balanus amphitrite?  Marine Ecology Progress Series 161: 93-101  Full text pdf

Qiu JW, Gosselin LA, Qian PY (1997)  Effects of short-term variation in food availability on larval development in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite amphitrite.  Marine Ecology Progress Series 161: 83-91  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA (1997) An ecological transition during juvenile life in a marine snail.  Marine Ecology Progress Series 157:185-194 Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Qian PY (1997)  Juvenile mortality in benthic marine invertebrates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 146: 265-282 Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Qian PY (1996)  Early post-settlement mortality of an intertidal barnacle: a critical period for survival.  Marine Ecology Progress Series 135: 69-75  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Chia FS (1996)  Prey selection by inexperienced predators: do newly hatched snails maximize net energy gains on their first attack?  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 199: 45-58   Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Chia FS (1995)  Characterizing temperate rocky shores from the perspective of an early juvenile snail: the main threats to survival of newly hatched Nucella emarginata.  Marine Biology 122: 625-635  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Chia FS (1995)  Distribution and dispersal of early juvenile snails: effectiveness of intertidal microhabitats as refuges and food sources. Marine Ecology Progress Series 128: 213-223  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Chia FS (1994)  Feeding habits of newly hatched juveniles of an intertidal predatory gastropod, Nucella emarginata (Deshayes). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 176: 1-13   Full text pdf

Gosselin LA (1993)  A method for marking small juvenile gastropods. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK  73: 963-966
  Full text pdf

Gosselin LA, Bourget E (1989)  The performance of an intertidal predator, Thais lapillus, in relation to structural heterogeneity. Journal of Animal Ecology 58: 287-304  Full text pdf

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