Presentation Abstract
Major changes in urchin populations have been reported in recent years around the world, coupled with profound cascading effects on nearshore ecosystems. Extreme climatic events are postulated to be a common driver, along with changes in populations of predators such as sea otters and sea stars. This panel brings together ecologists from British Columbia and Washington to highlight recent results on spatial patterns and temporal trends in sea urchin populations in the Salish Sea and the exposed coast. Findings suggest differences among locations in both species abundances and ecological interactions. Topics include: abundances of individual species, locations with large aggregations, trophic interactions, potential ecosystem effects, hypothesized drivers of observed change, and effects of climate change on these dynamics. These findings touch upon two topics of key interest to communities and resource managers: sea urchin fisheries and ecosystem impacts related to over-grazing.
Session Title
Sea Urchin Populations in the Salish Sea (Panel)
Conference Track
SSE3: The Circle of Life
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-panels-416
Start Date
27-4-2022 1:30 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 3:00 PM
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
Sea urchin populations in the Salish Sea: recent findings regarding invertebrates that support a prized fishery and play an important role in nearshore ecosystems.
Major changes in urchin populations have been reported in recent years around the world, coupled with profound cascading effects on nearshore ecosystems. Extreme climatic events are postulated to be a common driver, along with changes in populations of predators such as sea otters and sea stars. This panel brings together ecologists from British Columbia and Washington to highlight recent results on spatial patterns and temporal trends in sea urchin populations in the Salish Sea and the exposed coast. Findings suggest differences among locations in both species abundances and ecological interactions. Topics include: abundances of individual species, locations with large aggregations, trophic interactions, potential ecosystem effects, hypothesized drivers of observed change, and effects of climate change on these dynamics. These findings touch upon two topics of key interest to communities and resource managers: sea urchin fisheries and ecosystem impacts related to over-grazing.
