Ray, Robbin

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University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Media Relations UNH Publications and Documents 11-13-2019 UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape Robbin Ray Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news Recommended Citation Ray, Robbin, "UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape" (2019). Media Relations. 5269. https://scholars.unh.edu/news/5269 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the UNH Publications and Documents at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu. 5/25/2021 UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape | UNH Todayhttps://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/news/release/2019/11/13/unh-researchers-find-climate-change-and-turf-seaweed-causing-patchy-seascape 1/3(HTTPS://UNH.EDU)UNH Researchers Find Climate Change andTurf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” SeascapeWednesday, November 13, 2019DURHAM, N.H. – The e ects of climate change are becoming more apparent, from the rapidly warmingGulf of Maine, to more frequent and severe storms and the increase of invasive turf seaweed.Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found that these environmental developmentsare contributing to the transformation of the seafloor to a lower, more patchy seascape dominated byshrub-like seaweed which could impact species habitats and the structure of the food web.“These shi s in nature have created a perfect breeding ground for much bushier, or turf, seaweed totake root,” says Jennifer Dijkstra, research assistant professor in UNH’s Center for Coastal and OceanMapping. “Our earlier research showed a clear increase in invasive seaweed in areas once dominatedby tall blades of kelp, that are important in the protection of sea life, but this new research showed us just how widespread this shi  is and the e ects the turfseaweed could potentially have on the ecosystem.”In their research (https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.2923), recently published in the Journal Ecosphere, the researchers used high-resolution underwater video of the seafloor taken by moving back and forth in a “lawnmower” pattern. The footage of various seafloor habitats, collected fromover 100 square miles, was transformed into photomosaics to generate a spatial seascape map. In the imaging they identified over 23 di erent types of seaweed,breaking it down to areas dominated by turf, kelp or mixed seaweed. Overall, the lower-lying turf seaweed made up a significantly larger amount of the seascape.“We also looked at temperature increase by decades and saw that the warmer water temperatures central to climate change are likely shortening the growingseason of kelp, which prefers colder conditions, but the more dominant forms of turf seaweed can thrive in these temperatures,” said Dijkstra. “So, turf that isalready more easily dislodged by storms can become loose, reproduce and travel to take advantage of open space year-round in the Gulf of Maine.”(HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOU=HTTPS%3A%2F%2FWRESEARCHERS-FIND-CLIMATE-CHANGE-AND-TURF-SEAWEED-CAUSING-PATCHY-SEASCAPE)(HTTPS://TWITTETEXT=UNH 0RES ARCHERS-FIND-CLIMATE-CHANGE-AND-TURF-SEAWEED-CAUSING-PATCHY-SEASCAPE)(M IL O:?SUBJECTES ARCFIND-CLIMATE-CHANGE-AND-TURF-SEAWEEDCAUSINGPATCHY-SEASCAPSHRUB-LIKE SEAWEED THAT NOW DOMINATES THE SEASCAPE OF THE GULF OF MAINE. PICTURED HERE IS THE LOW-LYING INVASIVE SEAWEED KNOWN AS DASYSIPHONIA JAPONICA. THEABUNDANCE OF THIS TYPE OF TURF SEAWEED COULD LIKELY IMPACT SPECIES HABITATS AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE FOOD WEB. PHOTO CREDIT: JENNIFER DIJKSTRA/UNHNEWSROOM(//WWW.UNH.EDU/UNHTODAY/NEWS)(/unhtoday/a5/25/2021 UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape | UNH Todayhttps://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/news/release/2019/11/13/unh-researchers-find-climate-change-and-turf-seaweed-causing-patchy-seascape 2/3The researchers also examined the relationship between seascape patterns and patchiness and its relation to the abundance of fish in each habitat. Resultsshowed that patch size had a direct correlation to the abundance of fish in habitat types and that more turf seaweed areas may lead to fewer observed fish in thesehabitats, specifically the mid-trophic level species like cunner. A habitat dominated by lower, bushier turf could lead to fewer areas for fish to hide and increase thetime and energy that species like cunner spend seeking and defending their shelter, or may even cause them to occupy less sheltered areas in which the risk ofpredation is greater.Researchers say the trend for increasing temperatures combined with more frequent and intense storms and fluctuations of available resources could create betterconditions for the turf seaweed to prosper and grow and therefore increase the overall seascape patchiness. Their research indicates that these changes couldpropagate up the food web, specifically a ecting those species that are residential and seek refuge and food within these habitats.Co-authors on this study, all from UNH, are Yuri Rzhanov, research professor of ocean engineering; Brandon S. O’Brien, Ph.D. student; Kristen Mello ‘14, projectresearch specialist; and Amber Litterer ‘16, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping.This project was supported by a grant from NOAA (NA15NOS4200) and a UNH Research Engagement award.The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciencesacross more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation’s highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, andreceives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.Images to Download:https://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/historic_kelp_bed.jpg (https://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/historic_kelp_bed.jpg) CAPTION: Photo, taken in the 1990’s, showing the tall blades of kelp seaweed which once dominated the ocean floor in the Gulf of Maine and o ered protection forcertain species of sea life. PHOTO CREDIT: Larry Harris/ UNHhttps://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/turf_dominated_seascape.jpg (https://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/turf_dominated_seascape.jpg) CAPTION: Shrub-like seaweed that now dominates the seascape of the Gulf of Maine. Pictured here is the low-lying invasive seaweed known as Dasysiphoniajaponica. The abundance of this type of turf seaweed could likely impact species habitats and the structure of the food web. PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Dijkstra/UNHhttps://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/kelp_forest.png (https://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/kelp_forest.png) CAPTION: Close up view of a bed of kelp seaweed that once dominated the sea floor in the Gulf of Maine. PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Dijkstra/UNHhttps://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/foster.jpg (https://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/foster.jpg) CAPTION: The multiple colors in this photomosaic represent the more fragmented nature of a turf dominated seaweed community. PHOTO CREDIT: JenniferDijkstra/UNHhttps://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/lungingbmpkm.jpg (https://www.unh.edu/sites/default/files/lungingbmpkm.jpg) CAPTION: The abundance of green in this photomosaic shows the more cohesive dominance of kelp in this seaweed community. PHOTO CREDIT: JenniferDijkstra/UNHMedia ContactRobbin Ray ’82 (/unhtoday/contributor/robbin-ray-82) | Communications and Public A airs | robbin.ray@unh.edu (mailto:robbin.ray@unh.edu) | 603-862-4864LATEST NEWSUniversity of New Hampshire Announces May 2021 Graduates (/unhtoday/news/release/2021/05/22/university-new-hampshire-announces-may-2021-graduates)May 22, 2021UNH Works to Solve a Million Dollar Problem for Aquaculture Industry (/unhtoday/news/release/2021/05/20/unh-works-solve-million-dollar-problem-aquaculture-industry)May 20, 2021UNH Finds Angel Investor Market on the Rise in 2020 (/unhtoday/news/release/2021/05/19/unh-finds-angel-investor-market-rise-2020)May 19, 2021Media Advisory: University of New Hampshire 2020 and 2021 Commencements (/unhtoday/news/release/2021/05/18/media-advisory-university-new-hampshire-2020-and-2021-commencements)May 18, 20215/25/2021 UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape | UNH Todayhttps://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/news/release/2019/11/13/unh-researchers-find-climate-change-and-turf-seaweed-causing-patchy-seascape 3/3VIEW ALLUNH Research Estimates 1.4 Million Children Have Yearly Violence-Related Medical Visits (/unhtoday/news/release/2021/05/12/unh-research-estimates-14-million-children-have-yearly-violence-related)May 12, 2021  SUBSCRIBE TO UNH TODAY (HTTPS://WWW.UNH.EDU/MAIN/UNH-TODAY-SUBSCRIPTION) (https://www.unh.edu)UNH Today is produced for the UNH community and for friends of UNH. 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UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape

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UNH Researchers Find Climate Change and Turf Seaweed Causing “Patchy” Seascape

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