Resilience and stability of kelp forests: The importance of patch dynamics and environment-engineer feedbacks.

ABSTRACT: Habitat forming 'ecosystem engineers' such as kelp species create complex habitats that support biodiverse and productive communities. Studies of the resilience and stability of ecosystem engineers have typically focussed on the role of external factors such as disturbance. However, their population dynamics are also likely to be influenced by internal processes, such that the environmental modifications caused by engineer species feedback to affect their own demography (e.g. recruitment, survivorship). In numerous regions globally, kelp forests are declining and experiencing reductions in patch size and kelp density. To explore how resilience and stability of kelp habitats is influenced by this habitat degradation, we created an array of patch reefs of various sizes and supporting adult E

SUBMITTER: Layton C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6347235 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature