Dr Kathryn Smith1, Dr Nathan King1, Dr Dan Smale1
1The Marine Biological Association Of The UK, Plymouth, UK
Climatic extremes are becoming increasingly common globally against a background trend of warming. In the oceans, marine heatwaves—periods of anomalously warm water—have increased significantly in both frequency and severity over the past century, impacting the health of marine ecosystems. In temperate seas, kelp forests form key biogenic habitats which have been detrimentally impacted by previous notable marine heatwaves. These foundation species are often heavily affected, with knock on impacts for their associated communities and the ecosystem services they provide.
Here, we investigate the impacts of marine heatwaves on kelp-dominated habitats. Using a global database of kelp time series we examine changes in kelp species abundance in response to a range of marine heatwave metrics such as duration, intensity and season. We explore trends across ecoregions, species and position in species ranges. The results of our study progress towards developing a predictive tool for anticipating the impacts of future marine heatwave events on kelp forests. Improved forecasting will facilitate short-term management decisions and help guide conservation efforts, which are collectively integral for future-proofing of temperate coastal regions.
Presentation Slides – Kathryn Smith
