Abstract
Kelp ecosystems provide habitat to many ecologically and commercially important species. They are declining globally but trends are highly variable at small geographic and temporal scales. Understanding what constrains kelp distribution at a scale relevant to management efforts is thus fundamental. Here, we examined the abiotic correlates of the distribution of two dominant kelp species (Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima) in the Sept-Iles region (50.21°N, 66.38°W), Canada, in 2017 and 2018. We surveyed kelp distribution, measured abiotic conditions in two contrasting habitats (bay and outlying islands), and conducted a transplant experiment of both species between these habitats to examine kelp performance. Saccharina latissima inhabited both habitats while A. esculenta was absent from the bay. While wave exposure was similar between the bay and islands, other abiotic factors varied between habitats, potentially driving the differing kelp distributions: temperature, turbidity and sedimentation were greater in the bay, while light availability and salinity were greater around the islands. Temperature and salinity across habitats were within the tolerance limits for both species, while irradiance was near or below sub-optimal levels in the bay, suggesting that light, turbidity and sedimentation might be the main factors limiting the distribution of A. esculenta. Both transplanted kelp species grew and survived better around the islands than in the bay, suggesting that the island habitat offers better conditions. A. esculenta survived and grew in the bay, indicating that its local-scale distribution is not constrained at the early adult stage. Our results provide an understanding of current kelp distribution and possible changes related to future abiotic conditions.
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Acknowledgements
We thank two anonymous reviewers who provided insightful comments and suggestions that improved this manuscript. We thank J. Dunic and C. McRae for their assistance with the analyses and D. Cottier, B. Matthews, P. Bruning, G. Fernandez-Nieto, K. MacGregor and G. Martineau for their dedicated field assistance. We thank C. Deschênes, SIMEC, Quai des pêcheurs and the Sept-Îles community for local knowledge and assistance on the ground. We thank Québec-Océan for lending expertise and equipment.
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This research was sponsored by the NSERC Canadian Healthy Oceans Network and its Partners: Fisheries and Oceans Canada and INREST (representing the Port of Sept-Îles and City of Sept-Îles). (NETGP 468437-14, CHONe Project 2.2.2). NSERC Discovery Grant to IMC (RGPIN-2017-03933).
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MMMP, LEJ and IMC conceived the idea; MMMP and LEJ designed the experiment; MMMP, IG and FF performed the experiment; MMMP analyzed the data; MMMP led the writing of the manuscript. All authors contributed critically to the drafts and gave final approval for publication.
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Picard, M.M.M., Johnson, L.E., Ferrario, F. et al. Drivers of kelp distribution in the Gulf of St. Lawrence: insights from a transplant experiment. Mar Biol 169, 50 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-022-04031-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-022-04031-0