Miss Hannah Scarlett Earp1,2, Dr Dan A Smale3, Mr Harry Catherall2, Dr Cat Wilding3, Dr Adam Gouraguine2, Professor Pippa J Moore2
1Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom, 2Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, 3The Marine Biological Association, Plymouth, United Kingdom
Kelp are important foundation species in coastal marine ecosystems, where they provide a biogenic habitat for an array of organisms and ameliorate environmental conditions which can facilitate the development of diverse understorey assemblages. The structure of kelp forests is influenced by a variety of abiotic factors including physical disturbance from wave action. However, intense physical disturbance from storm-driven hydrodynamic forces can have profound effects on the structure and functioning of kelp forests and their associated communities. Given that storms are anticipated to increase in frequency, intensity, and duration in the future, it is critical to understand their impacts on kelp forest habitats. During the 2021/22 North Atlantic storm season, the UK was subject to several intense storms, of which the first and most severe was Storm Arwen. Due to the unusual direction of the wind (northerly as opposed to prevailing south-westerly), the greatest impacts of Storm Arwen were felt along the NE coast of the UK where wind gusts exceeded 90kph, and inshore significant wave heights of 7.2m and wave periods of 9.3s were recorded. Anecdotal evidence following Storm Arwen suggested that the Laminaria hyperborea forests along the NE coast of England experienced significant damage. Here, we investigated the impact of the 2021/22 storm season on the structure of L. hyperborea forests in SE Scotland and NE England using data collected prior to and following the storm season. We found that the storms dislodged canopy-forming individuals and altered the structure of understorey assemblages, although the scale of the disturbance was variable across sites.
Biography:
Hannah Earp is a PhD candidate at Aberystwyth University. Her work primarily focusses on the structure, function, resilience, and restoration of kelp forests in the UK and South America.
