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Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Can kelp forests help tackle climate change?
Countries around the world are increasingly turning to nature to help alleviate the impacts of climate change. Forests, grasslands and wetlands are already considered as 'natural climate solutions.' Now, some scientists are asking: could kelp forests be part of the solution too? As some of the fastest growing species on Earth, kelp form lush underwater forests along temperate coastlines. In addition to supporting marine biodiversity, sustaining fisheries and contributing to local economics and livelihoods, kelp forests also absorb carbon. But their role in climate change mitigation remains uncertain. In the first national assessment of Canada's kelp forests, our research team set out to estimate how much carbon these ecosystems might be capturing and storing in the ocean, and whether that carbon stays out of the atmosphere long enough to be considered a natural climate solution. To tackle this question, we assembled a national kelp forest database, including satellite and aerial maps, kelp productivity measurements and ocean current models to estimate how much kelp carbon actually leaves the continental shelf. This study is part of a national research effort being led by researchers at the University of Victoria called Blue Carbon Canada, which was funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Oceans North and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to investigate how Canada's 'blue carbon' could fit into its national climate mitigation strategy. Our team included 22 kelp researchers and experts from 14 academic institutions, government agencies and NGOs from Canada, the United States and Australia. Read more: The carbon absorbed by trees, peatlands and seagrasses typically gets locked away for decades or longer. However, when kelp dies or breaks apart, instead of storing the carbon in the ground, much of it is released back into the ocean. Depending on the conditions, some of it sinks. Some of it washes back to shore. Some gets eaten and and fuels coastal food webs. Only a small fraction settles in coastal seafloor sediments or makes it far enough offshore to reach deep water, where it's more likely to stay out of the atmosphere over the long term. Another fraction decomposes and becomes tiny dissolved particles that can circulate on ocean currents below the mixed layer depth for decades to centuries. So while protecting and managing kelp forests promotes carbon capture, it may not always directly translate into climate change mitigation. Our research found that between 40,000 and 400,000 metric tonnes of carbon per year is likely being captured and exported from Canadian kelp forests to the deep ocean. In terms of carbon dioxide removal, this would be at least comparable to more established natural climate solutions carbon ecosystems in Canada, like tidal marshes and seagrasses, suggesting they merit further consideration. It's a promising number. But the potential role of kelp in Canada's climate action plans is far from settled. Our findings are relevant as countries increasingly look to count natural sources of carbon removal in their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Climate Accord, with the idea that better ecosystem management, protection and restoration could all enhance natural carbon sinks. Kelp forests have not yet been included in national inventories. However, there has been growing interest in whether better kelp forest management and even restoration could qualify. Part of the problem is data. Most countries, including Canada, still lack sufficient information on where their kelp forests are, how productive they are, where that carbon is going in the ecosystem and how these dynamics are changing over space and time. As a result, few countries have been able to assess their kelp forests at national scales. There are also unanswered questions about how much kelp forest loss can be prevented under climate change and how much ecosystem restoration could be scaled up to meaningfully contribute to climate change mitigation. Restoration methods for kelp forests, such as green gravel, are being actively developed but remain largely untested. Our study provides guidance to help countries overcome some of these challenges. We offer a step-by-step blueprint for developing first kelp carbon estimates from limited data, including data needs and sources and tools for data analysis that acknowledge data uncertainties. Managing and protecting kelp forests is likely to be a low-regret option, meaning that while it might not significantly mitigate climate change, its many other benefits would still outweigh the costs. After all, these ecosystems offer a host of benefits, from supporting fisheries to shoreline protection. Given our findings, they may also have the ability to help tackle climate change. But leaning too heavily on kelp before the science is clear could backfire. Overstating its role in climate change mitigation could lead to misplaced confidence and unrealistic expectations. Worse, it could distract from the most important and immediate task: fossil fuel reductions. That does not mean kelp's climate solutions potential should be dismissed. At present, it's thought that kelp forests and other algae capture and store around 175 million tonnes annually, maybe more given recent research. But Canada needs to proceed carefully and invest in closing key knowledge gaps before scaling up plans to include kelp in national carbon accounting. This includes greater public investment in kelp forest mapping, monitoring, high resolution oceanographic modelling and ground-truthing of national estimates. Read more: Overall, a precautionary approach is needed to ensure we don't miss out on future kelp solutions. That's because even as interest in kelp grows, these ecosystems are disappearing in many places. In British Columbia, kelp forests have declined in recent decades due to climate change-fuelled marine heatwaves and population booms of sea urchins, which graze on kelp. Similar trends have been documented in many parts of the world, from Norway to Tasmania, where lush kelp forests are being replaced by weedy turf algae. When kelp forests are lost, the carbon they hold can be released quickly. Export of kelp carbon to the deep ocean and other carbon sinks stops. So instead of helping to slow climate change, their loss could make things much worse. Kelp forests will not solve the climate crisis on their own. But our research shows they could be apart of the solution, especially if we act now to fill critical research gaps. Today, the most immediate value of kelp forests lies in supporting marine biodiversity, coastal fisheries, and community livelihoods. That alone makes them worth saving. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organisation bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jennifer McHenry, University of Victoria and Julia K. Baum, University of Victoria Read more: For many island species, the next tropical cyclone may be their last Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa's oceans – how to resolve them Antarctica has its own 'shield' against warm water – but this could now be under threat Jennifer McHenry receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO),and Oceans North. Julia K. Baum receives funding from NSERC, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Oceans North. She is also affiliated as a science advisor with the Kelp Rescue Initiative.
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Northwest Atlantic harp seal populations decline around the Gulf of St. Lawrence
A Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) survey conducted more than three years ago found that northwest Atlantic harp seal pup counts were at their lowest since 1994. In a May 23 news conference at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute in Mont-Joli, Que., DFO scientist Joanie Van de Walle said these seal pups need stable ice coverage for many weeks during their young age. 'We have noticed that when ice conditions are not appropriate it can result in massive mortality of youngsters because they are not able to survive when they fall in the water,' said the English translation. A DFO survey conducted in March 2022 measured the pup count of northwest Atlantic harp seals at 614,100. Scientific data from DFO has found that despite hunting northwest Atlantic harp seals near Greenland, its has contributed very little to the cause of mortality among young seals. 'Today, the ice coverage and climate index explain a large proportion of youths' mortality,' said the English interpretation. Besides the impact on youth survival, Van de Wall saw that environmental changes have an impact on reproduction rates, which is essential in explaining abundance and fluctuation. 'We have observed that there is a general reduction in the reproduction rates – but the rate of abortion over time has increased,' said the English interpretation. In an interview with The Guardian on May 23, Van de Walle says researchers haven't found any direct relationship between the lack of recovery of some of the few commercially fished species and the diet of northwest Atlantic harp seals. 'In terms of the harp seal population, the fact that it is declining, we don't expect that it would play a big role in the recovery of those species because it was not linked to the recovery to start with,' she said. However, grey seals face a different situation where their population is reaching a status close to carrying that capacity, Van de Walle added. 'And then at some point, we may find impacts, but we're not at the stage of having any direct measure of it yet,' she said. Van de Walle said that the loss of life for the baby harp seals inside their mother's womb could be explained by the decreasing biomass of capelin and lower ice coverage. 'We also observed that gestation rate was correlated with the climate rate in Newfoundland and Labrador,' said the English interpretation. In the winter of 2024, DFO found no births of northwest Atlantic harp seals in the southern region of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. However, this past winter, the birthing of harp seals occurred in the Gaspé region of Quebec and Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 'Even if we saw births in 2025, it doesn't mean that it was a good reproduction season for the species. In the future, it is difficult to say what will happen,' said the English interpretation. Yutaro Sasaki is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government. He can be reached by email at ysasaki@
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Invasive fish captured in N.S. is first of such species found in Atlantic Canada
NEW GERMANY - Fisheries and Oceans Canada says an invasive type of fish called a pond loach has been found in Nova Scotia, marking the first such finding in Atlantic Canada. A single, egg-bearing, female Oriental Weatherfish, or pond loach, was found in Morgans Falls, near New Germany, N.S., the federal department said in an emailed statement Monday. Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the fish species is native to eastern Asia, and that the one captured on April 29 was likely introduced to Nova Scotia after being released from an aquarium. Invasive species, such as the pond loach, are a problem because of the disruption they can cause to habitats and ecosystems. Pond loach can reproduce quickly, and once the fish is established in a new habitat, it may compete with native species for food, or prey on them directly. Releasing any aquatic species into a body of water where it is not native, unless authorized by federal, provincial or territorial law, is illegal under the federal Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations. 'To help prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, do not let loose any aquatic species into a new body of water, down the drain, or into the sewers,' reads the statement from Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The pond loach is brown or dark green with dark scattered speckles and a light-coloured underside. It has a long, cylindrical, eel-like body, that can measure between 10 and 25 centimetres in length. The fish also has between six and eight barbels, or whiskers, around its mouth. The fish prefer slow-moving, muddy or silty habitats, but the can survive in a range of environmental conditions. The pond loach has also been reported in southern British Columbia, the federal department said, but is not known to occur anywhere else in Canada. The DFO said it has not received any other reports of this species in Nova Scotia, and there are no loach species that are native to the province. If anyone suspects they have seen a pond loach, the DFO is asking them to report it, with pictures, if possible, to its aquatic invasive species division. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. — By Lyndsay Armstrong in Halifax.
National Observer
26-05-2025
- Science
- National Observer
Invasive fish captured in NS is first of such species found in Atlantic Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says an invasive type of fish called a pond loach has been found in Nova Scotia, marking the first such finding in Atlantic Canada. A single, egg-bearing, female Oriental Weatherfish, or pond loach, was found in Morgans Falls, near New Germany, N.S., the federal department said in an emailed statement Monday. Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the fish species is native to eastern Asia, and that the one captured on April 29 was likely introduced to Nova Scotia after being released from an aquarium. Invasive species, such as the pond loach, are a problem because of the disruption they can cause to habitats and ecosystems. Pond loach can reproduce quickly, and once the fish is established in a new habitat, it may compete with native species for food, or prey on them directly. Releasing any aquatic species into a body of water where it is not native, unless authorized by federal, provincial or territorial law, is illegal under the federal Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations. "To help prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, do not let loose any aquatic species into a new body of water, down the drain, or into the sewers," reads the statement from Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The pond loach is brown or dark green with dark scattered speckles and a light-coloured underside. It has a long, cylindrical, eel-like body, that can measure between 10 and 25 centimetres in length. The fish also has between six and eight barbels, or whiskers, around its mouth. The fish prefer slow-moving, muddy or silty habitats, but the can survive in a range of environmental conditions. The pond loach has also been reported in southern British Columbia, the federal department said, but is not known to occur anywhere else in Canada. The DFO said it has not received any other reports of this species in Nova Scotia, and there are no loach species that are native to the province. If anyone suspects they have seen a pond loach, the DFO is asking them to report it, with pictures, if possible, to its aquatic invasive species division.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Invasive fish species reported in Nova Scotia for first time, DFO says
An invasive fish species has been found in a small waterway north of New Germany, N.S., according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. A single egg-bearing Oriental weatherfish, also known as pond loach, was discovered in Morgans Falls last month. The fish originate in East Asia, and this is the first time the species has been reported in the Maritimes. DFO said the fish was likely introduced after being released from an aquarium. Ken Donnelly, the supervisor of the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council, said when an invasive species makes its way into ecosystems, it's often due to human activity. He said pond loach are a popular aquarium species and can cause issues when released into bodies of water the fish aren't known to be in. "There are good intentions by people when they let animals go into the wild," Donnelly said, "but they should never, never do it. It's just a recipe for disaster." Donnelly said releasing a new species can cause habitat destruction and unnecessary competition for food and resources, which in turn can reduce populations. Pond loaches are freshwater fish described as having an elongated, eel-like body, with a small mouth that has six to eight barbels, or whiskers. The fish are light brown to green with scattered dark speckles and a light underbelly. In a statement, DFO said pond loach has also been reported in southern British Columbia, but they are not aware of its presence anywhere else in Canada. Unless authorized by law, it's illegal to release an aquatic species into a body of water that it's not native to. MORE TOP STORIES
