From kelp forests to turf reefs: Patterns, drivers, and impacts to functional diversity

Abstract

Kelp forests are declining in many regions due to ocean warming, predator loss, and other anthropogenic stressors. In areas of rapid ocean warming, including the southern Gulf of Maine, these ecosystems have transitioned to a novel state dominated by low‐lying mats of turf algae. However, the pace, drivers, and ecological consequences of this transition remain unclear. Here, we used field surveys from 32 sites over 5 years (2018–2023) to reveal a continuation of kelp forest collapse and northward expansion of turf algae across Maine's coast. Next, we united data on benthic cover with key environmental variables in a structural equation model to show that turf algae were directly enhanced by higher ocean temperatures and decreased wave disturbance and indirectly enhanced by a warming‐induced loss of kelp cover. Lastly, we revealed the shift from kelp to turf yielded a seaweed assemblage dominated by traits associated with rapid growth, high surface area‐to‐volume ratios, and markedly reduced canopy height, indicating declines in habitat provisioning and carbon storage with kelp forest loss. Our findings highlight the accelerating impacts of climate change on temperate reef ecosystems and the vital services they provide. Further, we provide insights into a new state shift that is now occurring globally and underscore the need for urgent actions to mitigate further loss of foundational kelp forests.

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