Why some of British Columbia’s kelp forests are in more danger than others
Retrieved on:
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Kelp forests help to support fisheries, draw down carbon and improve water quality — in the process contributing billions to the global economy.
Key Points:
- Kelp forests help to support fisheries, draw down carbon and improve water quality — in the process contributing billions to the global economy.
- We also show that, despite recent impacts of climate change, kelp forests in some areas have remained stable, offering hope for future kelp forests and shedding light on the drivers of ecosystem resilience.
Marine forests in hot water
- Beginning in 2014, a string of marine heat waves created warmer-than-usual conditions that have wreaked havoc on a range of ocean species.
- Marine heat waves are becoming longer and more intense as greenhouse gas emissions continue.
- Together, marine heat waves and seastar declines led to devastating kelp forest losses along many parts of North America’s west coast over the past decade.
Threats to kelp in Western Canada
- Thanks to ancient glaciers that carved up and reshaped Canada’s Pacific coast, B.C.’s kelp forests inhabit a rich mosaic of environments.
- Nearly 40,000 islands and dozens of glacial fjords create diverse habitats for kelp.
- In these areas, kelp forests have experienced large losses, especially over the past decade.
- In some parts of B.C.’s central and northern coasts, some kelp forests are also in decline despite cooler waters.
Reasons for optimism
- kelp forests have remained stable.
- In fact, some of these healthy kelp forests might even be growing.
- Areas with cool water temperatures, such as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, have stable kelp forests, despite extensive losses close by.
Innovative solutions are needed to save kelp
- kelp forests are faring under intense ocean warming driven by climate change.
- Read more:
NZ’s vital kelp forests are in peril from ocean warming – threatening the important species that rely on themGlobal and regional initiatives to protect and restore kelp forests are gaining momentum.
- This might include restoration of important predators in the ecosystem, controlling urchins so that kelp forests can flourish, or developing new techniques to restore kelp forests using strains capable of surviving warming conditions.
- He is affiliated with The Kelp Rescue Initiative, based at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, and was affiliated with the University of Victoria during this project.
- Christopher Neufeld received funding relevant to this project from the Ngan-Page Family Fund via The Kelp Rescue Initiative, based at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.
- She is affiliated with The Kelp Rescue Initiative, based at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.