Subtle shifts in coastal fog have lasting effects on burying beetle reproductive success

Under climate change, shifts in temperature and the resulting effects on organisms and ecosystems have been studied in depth. Less is known about how moisture availability, another important factor shifting with climate change, affects species survival and reproduction. One example of this is decreasing fog along the northern California coast, an area with many communities that rely on the moisture from summer fog during an otherwise dry season. Here, I test the immediate and delayed effects of fog deposition on the reproductive behaviors, number of larvae, and survival of a species of burying beetle, Nicrophorus guttula. Burying beetles require a small carcass to reproduce, and they are sensitive to moisture availability. Using experimental chambers in the field, I gave male-female beetle pairs a resource to reproduce on, and either a control or fog treatment at the beginning of the reproductive process. I measured the likelihood of burial, the likelihood of reproduction, the number of larvae, and survival of the adult beetles for three separate cohorts after different lengths of time. While effects of fog on burial were temporary, there were persistent and delayed positive effects of fog on the number of larvae produced. The addition of fog increased the expected number of larvae by 78%. These results have implications for organisms that are sensitive to changes in moisture availability, especially those that may go unnoticed if only responding after a delay.