Consequences of kelp forest ecosystem shifts and predictors of persistence through multiple stressors

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 291(2016)

Published: Feb. 7, 2024

Ecological communities can be stable over multiple generations, or rapidly shift into structurally and functionally different configurations. In kelp forest ecosystems, overgrazing by sea urchins abruptly forests alternative states that are void of macroalgae primarily dominated actively grazing urchins. Beginning in 2014, a urchin outbreak along the central coast California resulted patchy mosaic remnant interspersed with barrens. this study, we used 14-year subtidal monitoring dataset invertebrates, algae, fishes to explore changes community structure associated loss forests. We found spatial barrens region-wide structure. However, magnitude taxonomic-level consequences were spatially heterogeneous. Taxonomic diversity declined across region, but there no declines richness for any group, suggesting compositional redistribution. Baseline ecological environmental conditions, behaviour, explained persistence through stressors. These results indicate heterogeneity preexisting conditions explain patterns change.

Language: Английский

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Marine protected areas can be useful but are not a silver bullet for kelp conservation

Journal of Phycology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 60(2), P. 203 - 213

Published: March 28, 2024

Abstract Kelp forests are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth, but they increasingly being degraded and lost due to a range of human‐related stressors, leading recent calls for their improved management conservation. One primary tools conserve marine species biodiversity is establishment protected areas (MPAs). International commitments protect 30% world's gaining momentum, offering promising avenue secure kelp into Anthropocene. However, clear understanding efficacy MPAs conserving in changing ocean lacking. In this perspective, we question whether strengthened global protection will create meaningful conservation outcomes forests. We explore benefits under suite different focusing empirical evidence from show that can be effective against some drivers loss (e.g., overgrazing, harvesting), particularly when maintained long‐term enforced as no‐take areas. There also reduce impacts climate change through building resilience multi‐stressor situations. often fail provide warming, heatwaves, coastal darkening, pollution, which have emerged dominant forest globally. Although well‐enforced should remain an important tool forests, successful require implementing additional solutions target these accelerating threats.

Language: Английский

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Aquatic connectivity: challenges and solutions in a changing climate

Journal of Fish Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 105(2), P. 392 - 411

Published: April 7, 2024

The challenge of managing aquatic connectivity in a changing climate is exacerbated the presence additional anthropogenic stressors, social factors, and economic drivers. Here we discuss these issues context structural functional for biodiversity, specifically fish, both freshwater marine realms. We posit that adaptive management strategies consider shifting baselines socio-ecological implications change will be required to achieve objectives. role renewable energy expansion, particularly hydropower, critically examined its impact on connectivity. advocate strategic spatial planning incorporates nature-positive solutions, ensuring mitigation efforts are harmonized with biodiversity conservation. underscore urgency integrating robust scientific modelling stakeholder values define clear, Finally, call innovative monitoring predictive decision-making tools navigate uncertainties inherent climate, goal resilience sustainability ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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A collaborative climate vulnerability assessment of California marine fishery species

PLOS Climate, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4(2), P. e0000574 - e0000574

Published: Feb. 12, 2025

Climate change and the associated shifts in species distributions ecosystem functioning pose a significant challenge to sustainability of marine fisheries human communities dependent upon them. In California Current, as recent, rapid, widespread changes have been observed across regional ecosystems, there is an urgent need develop implement adaptive climate-ready management strategies. Vulnerability Assessments (CVA) proposed first-line approach towards allocating limited resources identifying those stocks most further research and/or intervention. Here we perform CVA for 34 state-managed fish invertebrate species, following methodology previously developed applied federally managed species. We found Pacific herring, warty sea cucumber, spiny lobster be three expected sensitive climate impacts with halibut, bonito, hagfish least sensitive. When considering sensitivity combination environmental exposure both Near (2030–2060) Far (2070–2100) Exposure futures, red abalone was classified Very High vulnerability periods. Dungeness herring shifted from Pismo clam pink shrimp Moderate conditions progressed. providing relative holistic comparison degree which fishery are likely impacted progresses, our results can help inform strategic planning initiatives identify where gaps scientific knowledge capacity may greatest risk California’s resource economies coastal communities.

Language: Английский

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Mesophotic zone as buffer for biodiversity protection: A promising opportunity to enhance MPA effectiveness

Marine Environmental Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 201, P. 106676 - 106676

Published: Aug. 13, 2024

Coastal areas conservation strategies often left deeper habitats, such as mesophotic ones, unprotected and exposed to anthropogenic activities. In this context, an approach for including the zone inside protection plans is proposed, considering 27 Italian Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) a model. MPAs were classified their bathymetries, exposure marine heat waves (MHWs), mass mortality events (MMEs) and, using local ecological knowledge (LEK) approach, estimated resilience of certain sessile species after MMEs. Only 8 contained considerable areas, with stronger MHWs mainly occurring in shallower MPAs, MMEs mostly affecting coralligenous assemblages. Even only 10% response rate, LEK provided useful information on species, allowing us suggest that presence nearby can help habitats facing climate change, thus making "deep refugia" hypothesis, usually related tropical applicable also Mediterranean Sea.

Language: Английский

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Significant challenges to the sustainability of the California coast considering climate change

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(32)

Published: July 29, 2024

Climate change is an existential threat to the environmental and socioeconomic sustainability of coastal zone impacts will be complex widespread. Evidence from California across United States shows that climate impacting communities challenging managers with a plethora stressors already present. Widespread action could taken would sustain California's ecosystems communities. In this perspective, we highlight main sustainability: compound effects episodic events amplified ongoing change, which present unprecedented challenges state. We two key for in zone: 1) accelerating sea-level rise combined storm impacts, 2) continued warming oceans marine heatwaves. Cascading these types compounding occur within context stressed system has experienced extensive alterations due intensive development, resource extraction harvesting, spatial containment, other human use pressures. There are critical components used address immediate concerns, including comanagement strategies include diverse groups organizations, strategic planning integrated large areas, rapid implementation solutions, cohesive policy relevant research agenda coast. Much been started state, but scale increased, timelines accelerated. The ideas information presented here intended help expand discussions sharpen focus on how encourage iconic region.

Language: Английский

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Conservation benefits of a large marine protected area network that spans multiple ecosystems

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are widely implemented tools for long‐term ocean conservation and resource management. Assessments of MPA performance have largely focused on specific ecosystems individually rarely evaluated across multiple either in an individual or network. We the 59 MPAs California's large network, which encompasses 4 primary (surf zone, kelp forest, shallow reef, deep reef) bioregions, identified attributes that best explain performance. Using a meta‐analytic framework, we ability to conserve fish biomass, richness, diversity. At scale network 3 regions, biomass species targeted by fishing was positively associated with level regulatory protection greater inside no‐take MPAs, whereas not had similar open fishing. In contrast, richness diversity were as strongly enhanced protection. The key features effectiveness included age, preimplementation fisheries pressure, habitat Important drivers single consistent spanning regions ecosystems. With international targets aimed at protecting 30% world's oceans 2030, design assessment frameworks should consider ecologically relevant scales, from networks.

Language: Английский

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Multiscale Analysis of Zooarchaeological Data to Reconstruct Past Kelp Forest Productivity for the Northern Channel Islands, California, U.S.A.

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 109178 - 109178

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Use of conservation areas for fisheries management and ecosystem conservation in the U.S. exclusive economic zone

Marine Policy, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 175, P. 106633 - 106633

Published: Feb. 19, 2025

Language: Английский

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Arctic and Subarctic marine heatwaves and their ecological impacts

Frontiers in Environmental Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: Feb. 19, 2025

The Arctic and Subarctic seas are predicted to become hotspots for marine heatwaves (MHWs). High-latitude ecosystems face unique consequences from accelerated warming sea ice loss, challenging species adapted cold conditions. We review the literature on MHW characteristics ecological impacts in seas, contrast between Bering Sea Barents Sea. uncover pervasive of MHWs across widely different organism groups, including benthic foundation species, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, seabirds, mammals. marginal especially prevalent areas experiencing retreat, such as seasonal zones, highlighting complex interplay dynamics. Overall, few studies have documented high-latitude ecosystems, with notable exception Chukchi 2017–2019. Many their narrow thermal preferences, appear vulnerable MHWs, they might not access climate refugia, while boreal benefit MHWs. Sessile kelp seagrasses, at risk during although evidence remains limited. Reproductive failure mass mortality events been several Pacific (e.g., crabs). observed ecosystem-wide repercussions northern shifts plankton communities affecting entire food web. responses still fully understood, a need further research assess direct indirect various taxa improve predictive models better management conservation strategies. can also large ecosystem services socio-ecological systems, example, closures economically valuable culturally important fisheries, seen Alaska, degradation traditional ice-hunting practices, compromised wellbeing coastal communities. Large abrupt changes following underscore urgent adaptive strategies ongoing change.

Language: Английский

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