Important points
- A combination of satellite imagery and artificial intelligence has created a new, high-resolution, statewide map that detects changes in kelp forests that were previously undetectable with traditional monitoring tools.
- This map provides critical data-driven insights into how kelp survived or declined after the record marine heat waves of 2014-2016, allowing managers to target recovery and conservation strategies to specific areas.
- UCLA partnered with The Nature Conservancy to make the map publicly available through KelpWatch.org, allowing scientists, policymakers, and communities to monitor coastal resources in real time.
Researchers at the UCLA Institute for Environmental Sustainability, with funding from the California Marine Conservation Council and The Nature Conservancy, have developed the highest-resolution statewide map of California’s kelp forests to date. This will give researchers, conservationists, and community members unprecedented access to information essential to maintaining coastal ecosystems and the communities they support.
By applying AI deep learning to Planet’s Dove satellite constellation, the team created maps that are 10 times more detailed than previous standard satellite records, providing a more accurate way to monitor the health of kelp and the success of conservation efforts along California’s coastline.
“The sophisticated spatial resolution of kelp canopy monitoring is becoming increasingly important for evaluating the effectiveness of experimental restoration techniques and managing kelp harvests, especially in areas where surviving kelp is sparse,” said Dr. Kristen Elsmore, chief scientist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the state agency responsible for managing California’s kelp forest resources.
Protecting ecosystems and coastal economies
Recent declines in kelp abundance threaten the foundation of California’s coastal ecosystem and economy.
California’s kelp forests support thriving fisheries, protect marine biodiversity, and provide significant income through recreational snorkeling and scuba diving. It also plays an important role in sustainability by contributing to nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.
high tech conservation
This project represents a major leap forward in conservation technology. Existing methods provide valuable long-term records, but their 30-meter resolution can miss fine-scale patterns.
Analyzing data from a new high-resolution map, researchers found significant regional variation in kelp persistence following the 2014-2016 marine heat wave, one of the most severe warming events ever recorded on the U.S. West Coast. Kelp forests in Sonoma and Mendocino counties have suffered more than 90% loss and remain at historically low levels. However, parts of central and southern California showed higher levels of resilience. Post-heatwave kelp persistence was related to pre-heatwave kelp stability, along with local factors such as ocean temperature, depth, and habitat fragmentation. These findings are described in a recent paper published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment.
credit here
Click on the video above to see a demonstration showing the kelp canopy map along the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
“These high-resolution data can also be used to track small-scale restorations, helping to guide management and support kelp forest resilience,” said lead author Kate Kavanaugh.
By pinpointing exactly where kelp is suffering and thriving based on regional factors such as ocean temperature and depth, conservationists can now implement a range of expansion strategies within the state’s kelp restoration and management plan.
The map is available to the public through KelpWatch.org, a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy, UCLA, NASA, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and UC Santa Barbara. Kelpwatch.org is an open-access, interactive platform designed to make cutting-edge kelp science accessible to everyone.
Scientists, conservationists, and policy makers can use this resource to analyze changes in kelp canopies, compare trends between and within regions, and develop strategies to protect these important marine ecosystems.
