Credit: Milly Caley - Milly Caley with the experimental set up at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Sydney, Australia
Credit: Milly Caley - Milly Caley with the experimental set up at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Sydney, Australia

Artificial light and warmer water could increase the pressure on our kelp forests from hungry sea urchins

Embargoed until: Publicly released:
Peer-reviewed: This work was reviewed and scrutinised by relevant independent experts.

Artificial light at night and ocean warming could increase the grazing of sea urchins on kelp forests, putting pressure on these important marine habitats, say Australian researchers. Kelp forests are important habitats that provide food and shelter to a range of marine species, however, they are declining due to increased ocean warming and grazing from animals such as sea urchins. The researchers found that light at night, similar to the levels found at ports and marinas, and ocean warming increased grazing rates of sea urchins. The authors say these artificial light and warmer waters could increase the effects of sea urchins on kelp forests in south-eastern Australia, as these factors are predicted to increase along coastlines in Australia and worldwide.

Journal/conference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Link to research (DOI): 10.1098/rspb.2024.0415

Organisation/s: The University of New South Wales, The University of Sydney

Funder: This work was supported by an ARC Discovery Early Career Award awarded to Mayer-Pinto [DE220100308] as well as the Australian Academy of Science, Thomas Davies Research Grant for Marine, Soil and Plant Biology awarded to Mayer-Pinto in 2022

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Artificial light at night and warming impact grazing rates and gonad index of the sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii

Artificial light at night refers to night-time light pollution emitted by humans, and is a growing problem for marine habitats. Kelp forests are important habitats that provide food and shelter to a range of marine species. However, they are declining due to increased ocean warming and grazing by marine herbivores, such as sea urchins. Scientists tested the effects of artificial light at night and warming on the grazing rates and gonad growth of a sea-urchin, Centrostephanus rodgersii, and found artificial light at night and warming increased grazing rates. This finding can inform future management of human impacts on our coastlines. 

Attachments:

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public

  •  Research
    The Royal Society
    Web page
    Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends).

News for:

Australia
NSW

Media contact details for this story are only visible to registered journalists.