Development of a floating kelp canopy area indicator for the Puget Sound Partnership’s Vital Signs
Presentation Abstract
Kelp forests are foundations of diverse and productive ecosystems and a quintessential feature of nearshore Salish Sea ecosystems. Evidence of declines and growing stressors to kelps in the region underscore a need for greater understanding of kelps themselves and their stressors. In 2020, the Puget Sound Partnership proposed adding a new floating kelp canopy area indicator to the suite of Puget Sound Vital Signs in recognition of the importance of kelp ecosystems. A broad coalition of partners, including the Samish Tribe, agencies, and university scientists, are collaborating to populate the indicator with existing datasets, and identify priorities for incremental improvements. Our conceptual framework for the indicator includes synthesis of multiple datasets such as aerial photography and kayak based surveys, and integrates Indigenous Scientific Knowledge and community science with traditional academic and agency monitoring approaches. We will evaluate requirements for indicators, ecological guidelines for their development, and specific considerations for a canopy-forming kelp metric. Kelps are subject to biotic and abiotic stressors; identifying and incorporating data on these stressors into the indicator, when possible, is an important element of this project. Our goal is to build a floating kelp canopy area indicator and associated metrics that are easy to understand rapidly, but contain detail on the data used to create the indicator. This flexible approach will allow for straightforward interpretation of trends, alongside the ability to ‘drill down’ into data with increasing temporal, geographic, and numerical detail that is useful to local communities, scientists, and managers. Two workshops will be held to seek feedback on indicator options and to develop the final indicator. Additionally, we seek to broaden participation through established circles, such as the Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan, as well as exploring opportunities for wider participation with groups that are often not regular contributors to government processes.
Session Title
Kelp Monitoring - Collaboration & Technology
Conference Track
SSE9: Nearshore
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-traditionals-253
Start Date
26-4-2022 11:30 AM
End Date
26-4-2022 1:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Kelp bed ecology--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Eelgrass--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Kelps--Monitoring--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Puget Sound (Wash.)--Environmental conditions
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
Development of a floating kelp canopy area indicator for the Puget Sound Partnership’s Vital Signs
Kelp forests are foundations of diverse and productive ecosystems and a quintessential feature of nearshore Salish Sea ecosystems. Evidence of declines and growing stressors to kelps in the region underscore a need for greater understanding of kelps themselves and their stressors. In 2020, the Puget Sound Partnership proposed adding a new floating kelp canopy area indicator to the suite of Puget Sound Vital Signs in recognition of the importance of kelp ecosystems. A broad coalition of partners, including the Samish Tribe, agencies, and university scientists, are collaborating to populate the indicator with existing datasets, and identify priorities for incremental improvements. Our conceptual framework for the indicator includes synthesis of multiple datasets such as aerial photography and kayak based surveys, and integrates Indigenous Scientific Knowledge and community science with traditional academic and agency monitoring approaches. We will evaluate requirements for indicators, ecological guidelines for their development, and specific considerations for a canopy-forming kelp metric. Kelps are subject to biotic and abiotic stressors; identifying and incorporating data on these stressors into the indicator, when possible, is an important element of this project. Our goal is to build a floating kelp canopy area indicator and associated metrics that are easy to understand rapidly, but contain detail on the data used to create the indicator. This flexible approach will allow for straightforward interpretation of trends, alongside the ability to ‘drill down’ into data with increasing temporal, geographic, and numerical detail that is useful to local communities, scientists, and managers. Two workshops will be held to seek feedback on indicator options and to develop the final indicator. Additionally, we seek to broaden participation through established circles, such as the Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan, as well as exploring opportunities for wider participation with groups that are often not regular contributors to government processes.
