Ocean Recoveries Lab
Scaling resilience in giant kelp forests
We study foundation species dynamics, storms, herbivory, and management to understand and restore kelp forests.
Our research vision
Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is a dynamic foundation species that structures temperate reefs.
By linking long-term data, field experiments, and models, we identify bottlenecks to recovery and design decision-relevant strategies for resilient kelp forests.
Foundation Species & Stability
How kelp biomass stability and canopy shading shape benthic communities and biodiversity.
Storms, Disturbance & Coexistence
How variable storm regimes alter light, promote coexistence, and shift community composition.
Urchin Barrens & Thresholds
Detrital supply vs. grazing capacity; behavioral switches that trigger deforestation.
Predators, MPAs & Management
Body-size dependent predation, lobster–urchin interactions, and the value of monitoring.
Featured projects
SBC LTER time-series + models
Coupling decades of data with process models to reveal storm and herbivory effects.
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Urchin removal & recovery
Testing when manual removal leads to self-sustaining kelp forests.
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Lobster–urchin interaction strength
How body size and behavior predict predation and forest resilience.
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Monitoring near thresholds
When information is most valuable for avoiding collapses and regime shifts.
Learn moreKelp stability boosts community stability.
Dampened kelp fluctuations promote higher benthic richness and stability.
Storms can promote coexistence.
Variable waves modulate light and favor algae–invertebrate coexistence.
Barrens arise when grazing > detrital supply.
Urchin behavior flips to active grazing once drift kelp is scarce.
MPAs can bolster resilience via predators.
Large lobsters reduce urchin pressure; spillover benefits fisheries.
Publications & highlights
Kelp stability promotes benthic community stability
Linking long-term kelp biomass variation to richer, more stable benthic assemblages.
Storm regimes and light drive coexistence
Mechanistic models show how waves alter shade and shift community outcomes.
Detrital supply vs. grazing capacity sets barrens risk
A practical metric to identify forests at risk of urchin-driven collapse.
Body size, predation, and MPA benefits
Large lobsters inside reserves increase predation strength and fishery spillover.
Get involved
Collaborate on experiments and syntheses, join the lab, or support decision-relevant kelp forest science.
Images: NOAA Photo Library / Channel Islands NMS (Public Domain); USGS (Public Domain); NASA Earth Observatory/USGS Landsat (Public Domain). Where applicable, credit required and appreciated.