Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gerraty, Francis D, Cox-Ammann, Karah N, Douglas, Melissa A, George, Maya, Lohse, David P, Miner, C Melissa, Raimondi, Peter T
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41839702/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1868266071872503808
author Gerraty, Francis D
Cox-Ammann, Karah N
Douglas, Melissa A
George, Maya
Lohse, David P
Miner, C Melissa
Raimondi, Peter T
author_facet Gerraty, Francis D
Cox-Ammann, Karah N
Douglas, Melissa A
George, Maya
Lohse, David P
Miner, C Melissa
Raimondi, Peter T
Gerraty, Francis D
Cox-Ammann, Karah N
Douglas, Melissa A
George, Maya
Lohse, David P
Miner, C Melissa
Raimondi, Peter T
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Marine heatwave and keystone predator loss drive broad-scale decline and hinder recovery of a rocky intertidal kelp. Gerraty, Francis D Cox-Ammann, Karah N Douglas, Melissa A George, Maya Lohse, David P Miner, C Melissa Raimondi, Peter T Kelp Animals Population Dynamics Ecosystem Hot Temperature Food Chain Conservation of Natural Resources Predatory Behavior Human activities are increasingly driving the co-occurrence of multiple ecological stressors, resulting in interactive and cumulative impacts that can reshape ecosystem dynamics and accelerate population declines of climate-sensitive species. Here, we use over two decades of rocky intertidal monitoring data from 17 sites spanning over 1200 km of coastline to assess how two unprecedented stressors-a multiyear marine heatwave and the disease-driven loss of a keystone predator (Pisaster ochraceus)-impacted populations of the canopy-forming intertidal kelp Postelsia palmaeformis. We show that Postelsia experienced rapid and severe declines during the 2014-2016 northeast Pacific marine heatwave, with an average population decline of 50%, multiple site-level extirpations, and particularly striking losses in the southern portion of the species' geographic range. Concurrently, Pisaster declines triggered mussel bed expansion into habitats previously occupied by Postelsia, further inhibiting kelp recoveries. Our findings reveal how converging stressors can drive persistent, broad-scale ecological shifts through both direct and indirect pathways. These results also highlight the critical role of long-term, spatially extensive monitoring in detecting and understanding global change impacts and provide a foundation for guiding Postelsia conservation and restoration efforts.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41839702
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Marine heatwave and keystone predator loss drive broad-scale decline and hinder recovery of a rocky intertidal kelp.
Gerraty, Francis D
Cox-Ammann, Karah N
Douglas, Melissa A
George, Maya
Lohse, David P
Miner, C Melissa
Raimondi, Peter T
Kelp
Animals
Population Dynamics
Ecosystem
Hot Temperature
Food Chain
Conservation of Natural Resources
Predatory Behavior
Marine heatwave and keystone predator loss drive broad-scale decline and hinder recovery of a rocky intertidal kelp. Gerraty, Francis D Cox-Ammann, Karah N Douglas, Melissa A George, Maya Lohse, David P Miner, C Melissa Raimondi, Peter T Kelp Animals Population Dynamics Ecosystem Hot Temperature Food Chain Conservation of Natural Resources Predatory Behavior Human activities are increasingly driving the co-occurrence of multiple ecological stressors, resulting in interactive and cumulative impacts that can reshape ecosystem dynamics and accelerate population declines of climate-sensitive species. Here, we use over two decades of rocky intertidal monitoring data from 17 sites spanning over 1200 km of coastline to assess how two unprecedented stressors-a multiyear marine heatwave and the disease-driven loss of a keystone predator (Pisaster ochraceus)-impacted populations of the canopy-forming intertidal kelp Postelsia palmaeformis. We show that Postelsia experienced rapid and severe declines during the 2014-2016 northeast Pacific marine heatwave, with an average population decline of 50%, multiple site-level extirpations, and particularly striking losses in the southern portion of the species' geographic range. Concurrently, Pisaster declines triggered mussel bed expansion into habitats previously occupied by Postelsia, further inhibiting kelp recoveries. Our findings reveal how converging stressors can drive persistent, broad-scale ecological shifts through both direct and indirect pathways. These results also highlight the critical role of long-term, spatially extensive monitoring in detecting and understanding global change impacts and provide a foundation for guiding Postelsia conservation and restoration efforts.
title Marine heatwave and keystone predator loss drive broad-scale decline and hinder recovery of a rocky intertidal kelp.
topic Kelp
Animals
Population Dynamics
Ecosystem
Hot Temperature
Food Chain
Conservation of Natural Resources
Predatory Behavior
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41839702/