Diaster and Recovery in Kelp Forest Communities: Effects of the El Nino Southern Oscillation Events in the Northeast Pacific

该研究旨在确定当前（1997-98）厄尔尼诺事件对近岸巨藻（Macrocystis pyrifera）群落的影响，该物种的整个分布范围（墨西哥巴哈中部到加利福尼亚新埃弗州；见Foster & Schiel， 1985年关于巨藻分布的综述）。目前（1997- 1998年）的厄尔尼诺现象被认为是有记录以来最强的一次（NOAA多元ENSO指数），在东太平洋大部分地区已经发生了由风暴引起的大范围破坏。除了洪水和强风对陆地环境造成的广泛破坏外，异常巨大的海浪还影响了加利福尼亚和巴哈的海岸，对其沿海海洋系统产生了严重影响。为了研究当前厄尔尼诺事件对该地区巨藻林的影响，将进行实地调查，比较在此事件之前、期间和之后，以及在该地区的整个范围内，由于大海浪和海水温度升高而导致的群落结构变化。收集到的数据将辅以PI未发表的数据以及该地区已发表的海带研究数据。总的来说，这些数据将有助于评估太平洋东北部沿其整个分布的巨型海带群落结构的年际和年内变化，特别关注以厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜事件为特征的年份，并提供有关各种海洋条件对这些变化的相对重要性的宝贵信息。

The study is designed to determine the effects of the current (1997-98) El Ni¹o event on the nearshore giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) communities throughout this species entire range (central Baja, Mexico to A¹o Nuevo, California; see Foster & Schiel, 1985 for a review on giant kelp distribution). The current (1997-98) El Ni¹o is considered one of the strongest on record (NOAA Multivariate ENSO Index) with widespread, storm-induced damage already occurring along much of the eastern Pacific. In addition to widespread damage to terrestrial environments from flooding and strong winds, unusually large ocean waves have impacted the coast of California and Baja, having severe impacts on their coastal marine systems. To examine the effects of the current El Ni¹o event on the giant kelp forests of this region, field surveys will be done to compare changes in their community structure resulting from large ocean waves and increased sea temperatures before, during and after this event, and throughout their entire range in this region. Collected data will be supplemented by unpublished data from the PI's as well as published research on kelps in the area. Altogether, these data will allow for evaluation of both inter- and intraannual variation in the structure of giant kelp communities along their entire distribution in the Pacific Northeast, with specific attention on years characterized by El Ni¹o and La Ni¹a events, and provide valuable information on the relative importance of various oceanographic conditions on these changes.