Examining the ecological consequences of climate-driven shifts in the structure of NE Atlantic kelp forests

海带是温带沿海沃茨的基础物种，在维持生态系统结构和功能方面具有重要意义1。海带森林提供了一系列生态系统产品和服务（例如，被开发的有鳍鱼类和贝类的栖息地，碳捕获和出口，营养循环，海岸防御），提高对环境变化对这些栖息地的更广泛影响的认识对于指导管理和保护行动至关重要。在东北大西洋的海带森林的结构正在变化，以应对气候变化和其他人为的压力，沿海海洋生态系统的功能的潜在影响2。具体而言，几个冠层形成海带物种的分布已经响应海洋变暖，冷水物种表现出极向范围收缩（如Alaria esculenta，海带digitata）和“温暖”的水或机会主义的物种似乎增加了丰度（如Sacchorhiza polyschides，海带ochroleuca）在一些地区。该项目将通过重新调查历史遗址，对海带森林生境最近的生态变化程度进行强有力的评估，并将加强对形成树冠的物种的特性和丰度的变化如何影响海带森林的整体生态功能（例如生产力，能源捕获和出口，生物多样性维护和复原力）的理解。

Kelps are foundation species in temperate coastal waters and have elevated importance in the maintenance of ecosystem structure and functioning1. Kelp forests provide a range of ecosystem goods and services (e.g. habitat for exploited finfish and shellfish, carbon capture and export, nutrient cycling, coastal defense), and improved understanding of the wider effects of environmental change on these habitats is vital to inform management and conservation actions. The structure of kelp forests in the NE Atlantic is changing in response to climate change and other anthropogenic stressors, with potential implications for the functioning of coastal marine ecosystems2. Specifically, the distributions of several canopy-forming kelp species have responded to ocean warming, with cold water species exhibiting poleward range contractions (e.g. Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata) and 'warm' water or opportunistic species have seemingly increased in abundance (e.g. Sacchorhiza polyschides, Laminaria ochroleuca) in some regions. This project will provide a robust assessment of the degree of recent ecological change in kelp forest habitats by resurveying historical sites and it will enhance understanding of how changes in the identity and abundance of canopy-forming species may affect the overall ecological functioning of kelp forests (e.g. productivity, energy capture and export, biodiversity maintenance and resilience).