nolog1 Information on the Purple Urchin invasion of California Kelp Forests

Dec 2020 News:
UCSC SCUBA Program in Jeopardy - Click Here to Help!

In 2014, likely as a result of sea star wasting disease, dramatic purple urchin population expansion, and warm ocean temperatures, the population of bull kelp and giant kelp along central and northern California was decimated. As of 2019, it hasn't recovered. This website provides links to information to learn more about this ecological issue.

Information about the problem:

Strategy & Mitigation Efforts

Greater Farallones Association Kelp Recovery Program
NoyoCenter website about the Mendocino, CA Bull Kelp recovery program
Removal effort in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia
Laguna Beach MPAs and No Fish Zones appear to help remove urchin barrens
A California Sheephead (common in S. CA, rarer in N. CA) eats a red urchin (abundance data frmo reef.org fish count data)

Data

Species Information

Purple Urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) (this is the species commonly associated with urchin barrens)
Red Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus)
Kelp forest foundational species Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana)
Purple Urchin reproduction

Past Events

UC Santa Cruz Climate Science and Policy Conference - April 11, 2019 Conference recording
2019 Ocean Climate Summit in San Francisco CA - April 18, 2019 (unfortunately, event organizers were unable to record the event)

Last updated 5/22/2019

Dec 2020 News:UCSC SCUBA Program in Jeopardy - Click Here to Help!

Dec 2020 News:
UCSC SCUBA Program in Jeopardy - Click Here to Help!