Aug

11,
2017

Calli Morales

Analyzing Kelp Forests Along the

Southern California Coast and
Channel Islands
KYLE CAVANAUGH
CALLI MORALES
004338111


Abstract

Kelp forests form the domminant community on shallow rocky reefs in specific temperature
regions throughout the world. Giant algea provide nutrients and protections to varoius forms of
aquatic organisms. Both short and long-term chnages in climate that alter rainfall, ocean currents,
temperature could cause a change in land and ocean processes in supply of nutrients, sediments
and organic matter to kelp forests. Integrative modeling techniques have been used to determine
the levels of kelp bed cover from arial imagery. Specifically, remote sensing imagery has aided
in the yearly spatial distribution of kelp-bed cover along California. By using analyzation
technologies such as GIS and Excel, we can us this data to visualize dynamic patterns of kelp
cover over time and space.

This paper looks to better understand the dynamic spatial distrobution, persistence and
progression of kelp-bed canopies from 1999-2016 along the coast of California and the Channel
Islands. In addition, suggest possible interpretations such as chnage in climate, land use, and
oceanic conditions which can affect the structure, percistence and overall dynamics of giant kelp
forest ecosystems.

Introduction

Kelp is a marine algae often found off the coast of California. They tend to grow together, and in
ideal conditions, can grow up to 18 inches per day. Both factors contribute to kelp condensing
into oceanic forest-like habitats known as kelp beds or canopies. Typically living in cool,
shallow and nutrient rich waters, kelp beds have a relatively sensitive system. They rarely prefer
depths further than 40m (131ft) or temperatures below 20 C (68 F). Changes in pollution or
temperature can have a large effect on the development of kelp, this altering the sum of
organisms that use these giant algae as food or shelter. Kelp plays a large role in the attraction of
fish, and other forms of marine life, making areas life southern California attractive to tourists.
With climate change and other toxins affecting the air and water kelp needs to flourish, it is
important to offer close attention to their overall fitness and measurable levels.

Southern Californias coastline is home to a wide variety of species, partially due to the levels of
kelp forests in the area. Its geographic characteristics make it a hotspot for kelp beds to thrive.

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Over the last few decades, the loss of kelp has

sparked concern of researchers to learn more
regarding their former and recent status.

Study Area

The sourthern California coast is located in North

America near the boarder between Mexico and
the United States. Our specific regions of interets
lie not more than 5.6km (3.5mi) from the coast of
Figure 1
California or any major island. This is where conditions are best for kelp to thrive.

Methods

Inconsistencies

After downloading and unzipping the information, there were some discrepancies which were
obvious that they could representative reflections of real-world kelp bed canopies.

While a majority of kelp bed files seemed to be illustrated properly, a few contained rectangular
beds (Figure 2). These beds were illustrated above what seemed to be accurate data. Therefore,
the rectangular beds were isolated and disposed of before any statistical calculations or tools
were performed.

Divided Kelp-Bed Boundaries

After the verification of the

data, only values on the
southern parts of California
were used. Any kelp above the
Point Conception State Marine
Reserve was removed and not
taken into account for the any
statistical calculations. In Calli Morales

Figure 2

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order to perform calculations on the size of kelp canopy areas, they needed to be divided from
larger beds. These regions were separated by regions along the coast which had emptier pockets
of kelp throughout all data layers. Additionally, multiple regions needed to be merged together.
However, some layers of data did not have the appropriate labeling and calculations of geometric
area, this then needed to be manually performed to ensure proper statistical calculation. The
regions of interest emphasized along the coast include (from north to south): Point Conception,
Santa Barbara, Long Beach, San Clemente and San Diego. Additionally, the Channel Islands
were also a focus of this project.

Channel Island Buffer

In addition to the parameters discussed above the

Channel Islands were also given a 5.6km (3.5mi) buffer
to better understand the dynamics in kelp bed cover. This
buffer served not only as a partitioner for distributing
kelp to each island, but it assisted in relating the different
islands (Figure 3). The distance value of 5.6km was
selected because this was the furthest distance from Calli Morales

where the kelp reached from one of the eight major islands. Figure 3

Calculations

In order to run statistical calculations on the data, the geometric areas of each particular kelp bed
regions were merged together. These yearly values were comprised into an Excel document
along with buffer areas and percentages. Using this data, multiple time series graphs were
created illustrating the kelp bed cover progressions from 1999 to 2016.

Results

While the data below illustrates correctly processed and edited data, there were multiple regions,
dependent on the year, which showed no signs of kelp bed canopies. Rather than mark these
values as zero, they are omitted to hopefully provide a more accurate representation of kelp
progression. For a better understanding of the specific regions used for analysis, please visit
figures 11 20.

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Santa Barbara Analysis Figure 4

In all the regions listed
S A N T A B A R B A R A C I T Y ( S Q M )
70000 below, it can be
60000 suggested that there is
50000 a small increase in the
40000 amount of kelp canopy
30000 cover after 1999 and a
20000 sharp decrease a few
10000 years later (typically
0 after 2003). Then after
1999 2004 2009 2014
2006, in all the graphs
S A N T A B A R B A R A ( S Q M ) shown, there is a sharp
4500000
increase, and typically
4000000
3500000 where the highest
3000000 concentration (in
2500000
relation to the years
2000000
1500000 shown) of kelp canopy
1000000 cover in the regions.
500000
0
1999 2004 2009 2014
In additon, to these

Figure 5 sharp contrasts in

San Diego Analysis Figure 6 levels of kelp, it can

S A N D I EG O ( S Q M ) also be suggested that

14000000
over the last few
12000000
years, there has not
10000000
been a substantial
8000000
growth in the amount
6000000

4000000
of kelp bed cover over

2000000 the southern California

0 Coast.
1999 2004 2009 2014

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San Clemente Analysis

We can also see a
S A N C LEM EN T E ( S Q M )
4000000 similar kelp canopy
3500000
progression patters
3000000
between the coastal
2500000
values and the
2000000
1500000 Channel Island
1000000 Values. In this graph,
500000 one can easily see the
0
1999 2004 2009 2014
similarity in growth

Figure 7 and withering of kelp

Los Angeles Analysis Figure 8
canopy cover along
LO S A N G ELES ( S Q M ) the islands. However,
5000000
4500000 one difference within
4000000
this graph, some
3500000
3000000 islands indicate a
2500000
sharper increase in
2000000
1500000 kelp within the last
1000000
few years, specifically
500000
0 San Nicolas, Santa
1999 2004 2009 2014
Rosa and San Miguel.
Channel Islands Analysis
CHANNEL ISLANDS (SQ M)
20000000

15000000

10000000

5000000

0
1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
San Miguel Santa Rosa Santa Cruz Anacapa
San Nicolas Santa Barbara Santa Catalina San Clemente

Figure 9
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Channel Islands Analysis Figure 10

Sum of Southern California Kelp (sq k) In our final graph, one can
80000
see a trend which follows
70000
60000 that of the Channel Islands
50000 more closely. However, this
40000
data is a sum of all the kelp
30000
20000
values (both coastal and
10000 from the Channel Islands).
0 Therefore, areas which
contained no kelp are taken
into account for this statistic.

Interpretations

Both short and long-term changes in climate that alter rainfall and ocean currents may cause a
change in the relative importance of land and ocean processes in supply of nutrients, sediments
and organic matter to kelp forests. Sudden disruptions in temperature and variability in material
flow caused by changes in weather, land use, and oceanic conditions could affect the dynamics
of kelp-bed ecosystems. I found that along with our results, there were sharp changes between an
El Nio and La Nia during the summer of 2005. In addition, I found that La Nia conditions
were also established after 2010. Both of these large scale ENSO events likely had a large impact
on the oceanic temperatures off the Southern California Coast, altering the production of Kelp
bed productivity, as they require relatively warm temperatures to flourish.

Future Research

It is also possible that streams and rivers off of California could transport nutrients kelp need to
flourish. In addition, we are unsure of any chemicals or pollutants given off by Southern
California or Mexico. While these effects may not be seen over the course of a few days or
months, a yearly difference is plausible. Lastly, better understanding Southern Californias
aquatic ecosystem, weather/air conditions and increased temporal resolution in kelp cover could
have given us better insights on the kelp canopy location and growth during the last two decades.

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Kelp Canopy Persistence

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

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Kelp Canopy Persistence

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

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References
Alexander N.Zolotokrylin, Tatiana B.Titkova, LuisBrito-Castillo. Wet and dry patterns
associated with ENSO events in the Sonoran Desert from, 20002015. Web.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014019631630115X

California Fish and Game Kelp Data

Divins, D.L., and D. Metzger, NGDC Coastal Relief Model. Web.

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/coastal/coastal.html. Download provided by the Southern
California Coastal Ocean Observing System.

ESRI Basemaps, ArcGIS Geospatial Software.

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