Kelp drivers of change (Working Group 3)


Nov 5, 2024, BC-WA Kelp Node

Actions: 

  • discuss & share methods (in situ/remotely sensed/modeled) used to quantify physical/biogeochemical and biological kelp drivers (eg. temp, salinity, oxygen, pH,water quality, grazers, invasives, disease)

  • find regional consensus on standard primary/priority physical/biogeochemical/biological parameters

  • improve organization and access to local and regional kelp driver data, metadata & open source documentation of methods

  • update analyses of large-scale cross-boundary data to examine impacts of human activities (water quality), biological stressors (invasives/grazing), and climate change on kelp

  • determine temperature-tolerant kelp species, strains, populations and areas (e.g., refugia) for potential use in restoration, mitigation outplanting and spatial management

  • explore invasive macroalgae (e.g. Sargassum/Undaria) controls, ecological roles

  • inform management actions at regional and sub-regional scales based on the most important drivers and stressors to kelp in this region (e.g. nutrient/sediment loading, invasives, climate change)

  • include kelp habitat in regional and local climate adaptation strategies and planning

  • reduce anthropogenic nutrient and sediment loading

  • explore invasive macroalgae long-term management

Please register for WG3