Alumna and current Dalhousie PhD candidate Karen Filbee-Dexter (BSc’10) is drawing attention to a dramatic decline in Nova Scotian kelp forests, which could have wide-reaching impacts on what she calls “one of the most important ecosystems that we have.”

Filbee-Dexter’s research has recently shown that kelp forests along the Nova Scotian coast are in steep decline due to warming water temperatures. She has identified an annual temperature rise of .06 degrees since the early 1980s, while there has been an 85 to 99 per cent decrease in kelp biomass in areas along 110 km of coastline.

L-R: Filbee-Dexter along with Josh Latka, Kristina Boerder, and Ubong Peters at Dal’s 2016 Three-Minute Thesis Competition (Ryan McNutt)

According to the marine biologist, the impact of warming waters on kelp is three-fold. Rising ocean temperatures are rendering kelp weakened and broken, aiding the expansion of an invasive species harmful to kelp, and enabling a population increase of herbivores that further stress kelp plants.

The impact of Nova Scotia’s warming waters could spread beyond kelp forests, warns Filbee-Dexter. Other species which rely on kelp for food may also come under threat, ultimately decreasing food sources for fish.

This research was included in Filbee-Dexter’s thesis, as well as in a paper published in early 2016.

Read more in “Warming waters in ‘ocean hotspot’ off N.S. destroying kelp forests” on ctvnews.ca.