Article
Ecology
Emily M. Donham, Scott L. Hamilton, Nichole N. Price, Susan Kram, Emily Kelly, Maggie D. Johnson, Alexander T. Neu, Jennifer Smith
Summary: This study investigated the impacts of ocean acidification and grazing by purple sea urchins on benthic assemblages in southern California kelp forests. The results showed consistent negative impacts of OA on community processes such as calcification and grazing rates, with effects on community structure being highly context-dependent.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christina Bonsell, Kenneth H. Dunton
Summary: Our study in a shallow High Arctic kelp bed in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, examined patterns of propagule recruitment to assess succession timescale and trajectory. We found that bottom waters remain frozen with low light levels for 8-9 months, while summer period is characterized by higher temperatures and measurable irradiance. Spatial differences in epilithic assemblages were observed, with a positive correlation between cover by crustose coralline algae and distance to river inputs.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Kousuke Yatsuya, Yukio Matsumoto
Summary: A long-term monitoring study conducted from 2014 to 2021 revealed a significant decrease in abundance of the annual kelp Saccharina japonica, leading to a transition from a kelp forest to a crustose coralline bed along the northeastern coast of Japan. The decline in kelp forest was attributed to colder seawater temperature in the winter/spring, which reduced herbivore grazing during kelp germination and early growth. Changes in the Oyashio Current further contributed to the transformation of the ecosystem. This study highlights the importance of environmental monitoring and the potential impacts of ocean warming on kelp-dependent ecosystems.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kelsey I. Miller, Celia A. Balemi, Daria R. Bell, Caitlin O. Blain, Paul E. Caiger, Benn J. Hanns, Sara E. Kulins, Ohad Peleg, Arie J. P. Spyksma, Nick T. Shears
Summary: Sea urchin overgrazing is a major cause of kelp forest loss, and removing sea urchins can promote the recovery of kelp and other algae species. The study found that a one-off removal of sea urchins from large areas of urchin barrens can effectively and efficiently promote rapid recovery of multiple algae species within two years. However, this approach does not restore the entire ecosystem and requires long-term management of sea urchins and/or rebuilding of predator populations.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Bartholomew P. DiFiore, Adrian C. Stier
Summary: The interaction strength between predators and prey is context dependent and difficult to measure. However, a relationship between interaction strength and predator size, prey size, and prey density suggests that this can be used to predict interaction strength between individual species.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Celia A. Balemi, Nick T. Shears
Summary: Marine protected areas are proposed as a key tool to restore food web interactions and increase ecosystem resilience to climate change impacts. However, the response of native species to protection and climate change can be unpredictable. This study examines the long-term trends of two sea urchin species in a marine reserve and a fished area, and finds that warming and low numbers of key predators have led to an increase in one invasive species and a decline in a native species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
B. Weitzman, B. Konar
Summary: Shifts between sea urchin barren grounds and kelp forests are related to sea urchin density, influenced by sea urchin recruitment. Despite differences in biological community structure between habitats, specific taxa were consistently correlated with sea urchin recruits. These species-specific interactions may be preserved regardless of the presence or absence of keystone predation.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kjell Magnus Norderhaug, Kjell Nedreaas, Mats Huserbraten, Even Moland
Summary: The article proposes the fishery driven predator release as the cause for the largest grazing event ever observed in the NE Atlantic, discussing the overgrazing of kelp forests due to sea urchin bloom and likely depletion of predatory coastal fish stocks by coastal fisheries modernization. It hypothesizes the importance of coastal predatory fish in regulating sea urchins and the necessity of a local population dynamics perspective in managing coastal ecosystems.
Article
Plant Sciences
Reina J. J. Veenhof, Melinda A. A. Coleman, Curtis Champion, Symon A. A. Dworjanyn
Summary: Sea urchins can cause extensive damage to kelp forests, leading to a loss of biodiversity. This study investigates if grazing by juvenile urchins on kelp gametophytes can suppress kelp recruitment and if this is exacerbated by climate change, providing insights into the complex grazer-gametophyte interactions.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Hannah Karuri
Summary: This study investigated the differences in nematode communities in tea fields and forest soil in Embu, Kenya, highlighting a higher plant-parasitic index and abundance of certain nematode groups in tea fields, while forest soils exhibited a significantly higher predator footprint. These findings provide insight into the impact of land use change on nematode communities in the two systems.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Tom Bell, Maycira Costa, Norah E. Eddy, Lianna Gendall, Mary G. Gleason, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Rebecca Martone, Meredith McPherson, Ondine Pontier, Luba Reshitnyk, Rodrigo Beas-Luna, Mark Carr, Jennifer E. Caselle, Katherine C. Cavanaugh, Rebecca Flores Miller, Sara Hamilton, Walter N. Heady, Heidi K. Hirsh, Rietta Hohman, Lynn Chi Lee, Julio Lorda, James Ray, Daniel C. Reed, Vienna R. Saccomanno, Sarah B. Schroeder
Summary: Surface-canopy forming kelps are crucial for ecosystems, but are under threat from global and local pressures. Remote sensing data is a valuable tool for monitoring kelp forests, but must be carefully selected and tailored to management objectives and regional characteristics. Integration of different datasets and approaches is important for promoting coordination of management strategies.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rituraj Sharma, Stephen E. Swearer, Rebecca L. Morris, Elisabeth M. A. Strain
Summary: Kelps are important ecosystem engineers forming forests that provide essential services; however, they are threatened by herbivory, particularly from sea urchins. A study found that flexible fencing is effective at excluding sea urchins and could help restore kelp in barren areas. Despite its success, cost limitations may restrict the widespread implementation of this management strategy.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Trine Bekkby, Ragnhild Ryther Grimm Torstensen, Lars Andreas Holm Grunfeld, Hege Gundersen, Stein Fredriksen, Eli Rinde, Hartvig Christie, Mats Walday, Guri Sogn Andersen, Marijana S. Brkljacic, Luiza Neves, Kasper Hancke
Summary: The growing demand for food has sparked increased interest in seaweed farming worldwide. This study aimed to compare the communities hosted by a kelp farm and wild kelp forests. The results showed that the kelp farm had lower taxa abundance and richness, as well as a lower biodiversity, compared to the wild kelp forests.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kristina O. Kvile, Guri Sogn Andersen, Susanne P. Baden, Trine Bekkby, Annette Bruhn, Ole Geertz-Hansen, Kasper Hancke, Jorgen L. S. Hansen, Dorte Krause-Jensen, Eli Rinde, Henning Steen, Susse Wegeberg, Hege Gundersen
Summary: This study maps and predicts the distribution of kelp forests across the Nordic region using quantitative data. The results show that dense kelp forests are found along the rocky shores of all Nordic countries, except in the brackish Baltic Sea, with the largest areas in Norway, Greenland, and Iceland.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rachel Zuercher
Summary: Pelagic-benthic coupling in the marine environment has significant impacts on productivity, trophic interactions, and community structure in nearshore ecosystems. This study investigates the use of kelp- and phytoplankton-based carbon by rockfish in kelp forests in central California. The findings show that rockfish species that forage in the water column have a higher use of phytoplankton-based carbon compared to species on or near benthic substrates. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of variable juvenile rockfish recruitment in understanding rockfish's utilization of phytoplankton-based energy.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
A. Jarre, L. Hutchings, M. Crichton, K. Wieland, T. Lamont, L. K. Blamey, C. Illert, E. Hill, M. van den Berg
FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY
(2015)
Article
Fisheries
Astrid Jarre, Laurence Hutchings, Stephen P. Kirkman, Anja Kreiner, Pedro C. M. Tchipalanga, Paulus Kainge, Uatjavi Uanivi, Anja K. van der Plas, Laura K. Blamey, Janet C. Coetzee, Tarron Lamont, Toufiek Samaai, Hans M. Verheye, Dawit G. Yemane, Bjoern E. Axelsen, Marek Ostrowski, Erling K. Stenevik, Harald Loeng
FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY
(2015)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
S. P. Kirkman, L. Blamey, T. Lamont, J. G. Field, G. Bianchi, J. A. Huggett, L. Hutchings, J. Jackson-Veitch, A. Jarre, C. Lett, M. R. Lipinski, S. W. Mafwila, M. C. Pfaff, T. Samaai, L. J. Shannon, Y-J Shin, C. D. van der Lingen, D. Yemane
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2016)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Laura K. Blamey, John J. Bolton
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2018)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
K. Morriss, L. K. Blamey
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Laura K. Blamey, Ander M. de Lecea, Luke D. S. Jones, George M. Branch
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2019)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Maya C. Pfaff, Renae C. Logston, Serge J. P. N. Raemaekers, Juliet C. Hermes, Laura K. Blamey, Hayley C. Cawthra, Darryl R. Colenbrander, Robert J. M. Crawford, Elizabeth Day, Nicole du Plessis, Simon H. Elwen, Sarah E. Fawcett, Mark R. Jury, Natasha Karenyi, Sven E. Kerwath, Alison A. Kock, Marjolaine Krug, Stephen J. Lamberth, Aaniyah Omardien, Grant C. Pitcher, Christo Rautenbach, Tamara B. Robinson, Mathieu Rouault, Peter G. Ryan, Frank A. Shillington, Merle Sowman, Conrad C. Sparks, Jane K. Turpie, Lara van Niekerk, Howard N. Waldron, Eleanor M. Yeld, Stephen P. Kirkman
ELEMENTA-SCIENCE OF THE ANTHROPOCENE
(2019)
Article
Fisheries
Eva Plaganyi, Roy Aijun Deng, Trevor Hutton, Rob Kenyon, Emma Lawrence, Judy Upston, Margaret Miller, Chris Moeseneder, Sean Pascoe, Laura Blamey, Stephen Eves
Summary: Researchers analyzed recruitment dynamics of redleg banana prawns in Australia's Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and found that low catches in 2015 and 2016 may be due to temporary drops in sea level and rainfall, affecting postlarvae's ability to reach nursery grounds. They proposed using two variables to predict bad prawn catch years and suggested developing a harvest strategy framework for management recommendations.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Fany Sardenne, Nathalie Bodin, Leo Barret, Laura Blamey, Rodney Govinden, Kettyna Gabriel, Rosabella Mangroo, Jean-Marie Munaron, Francois Le Loc'h, Antoine Bideau, Fabienne Le Grand, Magali Sabino, Paco Bustamante, David Rowat
Summary: The study analyzed the diets of three spiny lobster species in Seychelles, revealing that they mainly consume crustaceans and show some differences in diet composition between species, which are related to the type of reefs they inhabit.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Magali A. Sabino, Rodney Govinden, Heidi Pethybridge, Laura Blamey, Fabienne Le Grand, Fany Sardenne, Maria Rose, Paco Bustamante, Nathalie Bodin
Summary: The study found potential interspecific competition among three species of Seychelles spiny lobsters, with P. penicillatus showing greater adaptive capacity. Results suggest that competition between Seychelles spiny lobsters may increase in the future as the frequency and severity of bleaching events is predicted to increase with climate change.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eva Plaganyi, Roy Aijun Deng, Mark Tonks, Nicole Murphy, Sean Pascoe, Steven Edgar, Kinam Salee, Trevor Hutton, Laura Blamey, Leo Dutra
Summary: The Torres Strait tropical rock lobster fishery was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but the fishery-independent survey data remained unaffected, demonstrating the resilience of the eHCR. Weak links in the supply chain identified were the same as those sensitive to climate change disruptions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
C. Steyn, L. J. Shannon, L. K. Blamey
Summary: This study examines the eastward shift of rock lobsters in the early 1990s and the resulting changes in the ecosystem structure. By simulating different fishing management strategies, it was found that reducing fishing pressure on abalone and reef fish while increasing pressure on rock lobster could partially restore the post-invaded ecosystem to its pre-invasion state.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura K. Blamey, Eva E. Plaganyi, Trevor Hutton, Roy A. Deng, Judy Upston, Annie Jarrett
Summary: This study tested the robustness of harvest control rules for a large prawn stock in Australia to environmental variability using a management strategy evaluation approach. Model fits to catch per unit effort were good, and stakeholders ultimately selected a permanent closure of the first fishing season as the optimal management option. This simulation approach enabled the selection of an optimal yet pragmatic solution for addressing economic and conservation objectives under a variable environment with extreme events.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Eva E. Plaganyi, Laura K. Blamey, Jacob G. D. Rogers, Vivitskaia J. D. Tulloch
Summary: Stock assessment models often assume constant natural mortality rates, but this assumption may not be valid if natural mortality varies due to trophic interactions and environmental changes. Hence, multispecies models are used to capture variations in natural mortality rates and quantify fishing impacts on the broader ecosystem. These models are increasingly important as ecosystems respond to a more variable and changing climate.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Eva E. Plaganyi, Laura K. Blamey, Roy Aijun Deng, Margaret Miller
Summary: Formal harvest strategies are important for decision-making processes in fisheries. This study focuses on the revision of the harvest strategy for Australia's redleg banana prawn fishery to address the challenges posed by short-lived highly-variable stocks. The study discusses the implementation of a seasonal closure, modification of the stock assessment model, and selection of a data-sufficient threshold to determine the need for a stock assessment in a particular year. The revised harvest strategy successfully balances the value of the fishery with the costs of data collection and analysis, while also considering the risks to the fish stock.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)