Kelp Forest Ecosystems

Kelp Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Program

Kelps are engineering species that structure nearshore rocky reef communities in many upwelling regions around the world including in the California Current. Kelp forests are species rich habitats which provide a suite of ecosystem services such as species diversity, fisheries and carbon sequestration. Despite their importance, kelp forests are highly susceptible to climate stressors and in 2014 the northern California kelp forest collapsed following the decline of sea stars and the massive Marine Heatwave. Using data from our 20 year kelp forest monitoring program we were one of the first labs to sound the alarm in 2016 in our blog entitled “Perfect Storm” outlining the multiple stressors responsible for the collapse of the bull kelp forests in northern California. (https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/perfect-storm-decimates-kelp/). Similarly, in 2012, our monitoring program detected sharp declines in abalone and other invertebrates after a harmful algal bloom killed many organisms in shallow waters. We are now poised to quantify restoration efforts and set restoration goals using benchmarks established in the decade from 1999 to 2009 prior to climate change disruptions. Our lab will continue to use subtidal monitoring to develop indices and track the health of northern California’s kelp forests.