Trophic Redundancy and Predator Size Class Structure Drive Differences in Kelp Forest Ecosystem Dynamics

A recent disease epidemic across the northeast Pacific has effectively extirpated the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), an important urchin predator, resulting in the formation of urchin barrens and loss of kelp forests in some regions. In a recently published study, we investigated the role of predator redundancy in buffering kelp forests from these phase shifts. We found that two additional urchin predators compensated for the loss of the star and prevented transition from kelp forests to barrens. However, since both alternative predators are fished, this buffering effect was much stronger in Marine Protected Areas where these species are protected. These photographs illustrate the article “Trophic redundancy and predator size class structure drive differences in kelp forest ecosystem dynamics” by Jacob H. Eisaguirre, Joseph M. Eisaguirre, Kathryn Davis, Peter M. Carlson, Steven D. Gaines, and Jennifer E. Caselle published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.299