KELPEX
Kelp EXport: fuel for adjacent communities in changing Arctic ecosystems
2016-2018
Aim 1:
Experimentally quantify kelp production and export
Aim 2:
Assess the effect of kelp export in shallow-water and deep-sea communities in arctic Norway
Aim 3:
Integrate all results from the field and lab experiments into newly developed ecological models
KELPEX took an important bulk step forward to determine the role played by kelp export in fueling adjacent habitats, including effects on benthic ecosystem services (e.g., sustaining commercially exploited species) and developed a predictive tool to assess ecosystem change associated with kelp regime shifts. Results from the KELPEX project provide robust scientific knowledge to support decision-making and management of arctic ecosystems under different natural and climatic stressors, addressing Norway's strategic priorities for the Arctic.