Investigating the contribution of kelp- and eelgrass-derived carbon and nitrogen to marine herbivores and carnivores in Puget Sound.
Presentation Abstract
In the Salish Sea Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp) and Zostera marina (eelgrass) are highly productive and because of their three-dimensional size and structure are reported to provide shelter for a variety of valued Puget Sound species, including Species of Concern like Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, and quillback rockfish, Sebastes maliger. Less understood is the extent to which bull kelp forests and eelgrass beds are a source of energy for invertebrates and fishes. To answer this question we conducted a project in 2018 and 2019 to reconstruct the trophic linkages among kelp, seagrass, and several herbivorous and carnivorous species, including rockfish. We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to estimate the kelp- and eelgrass-derived isotope contributions to invertebrate and fish tissue. Understanding these connections, and their strengths, is necessary for effective management and recovery. In this presentation we will place our findings in the context of ongoing kelp recovery plans.
Session Title
Session 2.2A: Kelp: Stressors, Trends, and Value (Part II)
Conference Track
Kelp & Seagrass
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2020 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
2020_abstractID_3901
Start Date
22-4-2020 12:30 PM
End Date
22-4-2020 2:00 PM
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Nereocystis luetkeana--Ecology--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Zostera marina--Ecology--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Food chains (Ecology)--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Investigating the contribution of kelp- and eelgrass-derived carbon and nitrogen to marine herbivores and carnivores in Puget Sound.
In the Salish Sea Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp) and Zostera marina (eelgrass) are highly productive and because of their three-dimensional size and structure are reported to provide shelter for a variety of valued Puget Sound species, including Species of Concern like Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, and quillback rockfish, Sebastes maliger. Less understood is the extent to which bull kelp forests and eelgrass beds are a source of energy for invertebrates and fishes. To answer this question we conducted a project in 2018 and 2019 to reconstruct the trophic linkages among kelp, seagrass, and several herbivorous and carnivorous species, including rockfish. We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to estimate the kelp- and eelgrass-derived isotope contributions to invertebrate and fish tissue. Understanding these connections, and their strengths, is necessary for effective management and recovery. In this presentation we will place our findings in the context of ongoing kelp recovery plans.
