Phase Shift From Kelp Forest to Urchin Barren Along California’s North Coast

Join us for our monthly Science Talk with Tristin McHugh, MS, North Coast Regional Manager of Reef Check California. Tristin began working for Reef Check California in March of 2018 and is based in Fort Bragg. In the North Coast specifically, Reef Check has focused on expanding our knowledge of California’s most remote stretch of coastline. These efforts were propagated by rapid changes to the ecosystem, including the formation of a large “warm water blob” –an ocean heatwave lasting two years, widespread loss of bull kelp, loss of sea stars due to disease, and the decline of the red abalone populations due to starvation. Further, purple urchin populations skyrocketed. To understand the changes happening on our stretch of coastline, Reef Check has been increasing the number of sites we visit, and the type of data we collect. Since 2007, citizen scientist SCUBA divers have been conducting surveys in the North Coast, and today we look forward to sharing our organization and survey results with you.