Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile
Kelp forest are foundation species that deliver key ecosystem services for coastal habitats. Chile is one of the largest exporters of kelp biomass, which relies on the harvesting of wild populations. The vast and rugged coastline of Chile hinders field-based studies of the seasonal and spatial dynam...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecological Informatics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001128 |
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| author | Daniel Gonzalez-Aragon Richard Muñoz Henry Houskeeper Kyle Cavanaugh Wirmer García-Tuñon Laura Farías Carlos Lara Bernardo R. Broitman |
| author_facet | Daniel Gonzalez-Aragon Richard Muñoz Henry Houskeeper Kyle Cavanaugh Wirmer García-Tuñon Laura Farías Carlos Lara Bernardo R. Broitman |
| author_sort | Daniel Gonzalez-Aragon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Kelp forest are foundation species that deliver key ecosystem services for coastal habitats. Chile is one of the largest exporters of kelp biomass, which relies on the harvesting of wild populations. The vast and rugged coastline of Chile hinders field-based studies of the seasonal and spatial dynamics of kelp biomass, yet remote sensing approaches can provide an effective tool to study temporal patterns of kelp distribution and biomass. Our study aimed to establish the basic patterns of variation in the surface area and biomass of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest off Concepcion Bay, Central Chile. Using archival data from the Landsat series we constructed a long-term series of annual kelp canopy cover and assessed patterns of interannual, and a seasonal variation with the more recent Sentinel 2 data using Google Earth Engine. We validated satellite observations of the kelp forest in the field by recording local temperature and nutrient concentrations and through a sample of blades and stipes, which we used to estimate whole-individual in situ biomass through allometric relationships. Finally, we related decadal to interannual changes in canopy cover to local and regional drivers using data from public repositories. Our 24-year annual time series revealed large year-to-year variability in kelp forest area that did not show a significant association with different El Niño-Southern Oscillation indices, but the deviance explained increased notably with a 1-year lag. The seasonal time series exhibited clear seasonal patterns with cover peaking during summer. We found a significant influence of local environmental variables such as temperature, wave height, nitrate concentration, and solar radiation on kelp forest area. Furthermore, blade counts appeared as the most reliable metric for estimating M. pyrifera biomass. Interestingly, we found no evidence of temperature or nutrient stress during the summer biomass peak, hence seasonal variation in M. pyrifera abundance appears to be primarily influenced by solar radiation and wave activity in our study population. Our results provide a basis to derive seasonal time series across Chile’s kelp forests and suggest that understanding local stressors is key to ensure harvesting practices that promote the sustainable management of these key habitats. As ongoing climate change and overexploitation threaten kelp forest habitats, remote sensing emerges as a promising tool for the monitoring and management of extensive and remote coastlines. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a8e04497c4a465caee746980090f8d3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1574-9541 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Informatics |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a8e04497c4a465caee746980090f8d32025-08-20T02:13:11ZengElsevierEcological Informatics1574-95412025-07-018710310310.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103103Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, ChileDaniel Gonzalez-Aragon0Richard Muñoz1Henry Houskeeper2Kyle Cavanaugh3Wirmer García-Tuñon4Laura Farías5Carlos Lara6Bernardo R. Broitman7Doctorado en Ciencias mención en Biodiversidad y Biorecursos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Chile; Corresponding author at: Doctorado en Ciencias mención en Biodiversidad y Biorecursos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile.Programa de Doctorado en Oceanografía, Departamento de Oceanografía, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, ChileDepartment of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USADepartment of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USADoctorado en Ciencias mención en Biodiversidad y Biorecursos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Data Observatory Foundation, ANID Technology Center No. DO210001, Santiago, ChileInstituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Chile; Departamento de Oceanografía, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, ChileDepartamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, ChileInstituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Chile; Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Viña del Mar, ChileKelp forest are foundation species that deliver key ecosystem services for coastal habitats. Chile is one of the largest exporters of kelp biomass, which relies on the harvesting of wild populations. The vast and rugged coastline of Chile hinders field-based studies of the seasonal and spatial dynamics of kelp biomass, yet remote sensing approaches can provide an effective tool to study temporal patterns of kelp distribution and biomass. Our study aimed to establish the basic patterns of variation in the surface area and biomass of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest off Concepcion Bay, Central Chile. Using archival data from the Landsat series we constructed a long-term series of annual kelp canopy cover and assessed patterns of interannual, and a seasonal variation with the more recent Sentinel 2 data using Google Earth Engine. We validated satellite observations of the kelp forest in the field by recording local temperature and nutrient concentrations and through a sample of blades and stipes, which we used to estimate whole-individual in situ biomass through allometric relationships. Finally, we related decadal to interannual changes in canopy cover to local and regional drivers using data from public repositories. Our 24-year annual time series revealed large year-to-year variability in kelp forest area that did not show a significant association with different El Niño-Southern Oscillation indices, but the deviance explained increased notably with a 1-year lag. The seasonal time series exhibited clear seasonal patterns with cover peaking during summer. We found a significant influence of local environmental variables such as temperature, wave height, nitrate concentration, and solar radiation on kelp forest area. Furthermore, blade counts appeared as the most reliable metric for estimating M. pyrifera biomass. Interestingly, we found no evidence of temperature or nutrient stress during the summer biomass peak, hence seasonal variation in M. pyrifera abundance appears to be primarily influenced by solar radiation and wave activity in our study population. Our results provide a basis to derive seasonal time series across Chile’s kelp forests and suggest that understanding local stressors is key to ensure harvesting practices that promote the sustainable management of these key habitats. As ongoing climate change and overexploitation threaten kelp forest habitats, remote sensing emerges as a promising tool for the monitoring and management of extensive and remote coastlines.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001128Remote sensingMacrocystis pyriferaSeasonal variationChile kelp forest |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Gonzalez-Aragon Richard Muñoz Henry Houskeeper Kyle Cavanaugh Wirmer García-Tuñon Laura Farías Carlos Lara Bernardo R. Broitman Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile Ecological Informatics Remote sensing Macrocystis pyrifera Seasonal variation Chile kelp forest |
| title | Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile |
| title_full | Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile |
| title_short | Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics of a Macrocystis pyrifera forest in Concepcion Bay, Chile |
| title_sort | seasonal and inter annual dynamics of a macrocystis pyrifera forest in concepcion bay chile |
| topic | Remote sensing Macrocystis pyrifera Seasonal variation Chile kelp forest |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001128 |
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