Toward a conceptual framework for managing and conserving marine habitats: A case study of kelp forests in the Salish Sea.

ABSTRACT: Kelp forests are in decline across much of their range due to place-specific combinations of local and global stressors. Declines in kelp abundance can lead to cascading losses of biodiversity and productivity with far-reaching ecological and socioeconomic consequences. The Salish Sea is a hotspot of kelp diversity where many species of kelp provide critical habitat and food for commercially, ecologically, and culturally important fish and invertebrate species. However, like other regions, kelp forests in much of the Salish Sea are in rapid decline. Data gaps and limited long-term monitoring have hampered attempts to identify and manage for specific drivers of decline, despite the documented urgency to protect these important habitats. To address these knowledge gaps, we gathered a focus g

SUBMITTER: Hollarsmith JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8809449 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature