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Influence of kelp forests on flow around headlands
Arnoldo Valle-Levinson1, Margaret A Daly2, Braulio Juarez3
1Civil and Coastal Engineering Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America.
The Science of the Total Environment
|February 21, 2022
Summary
Kelp forests significantly alter coastal ocean physics. Dense kelp beds suppress headland upwelling by channeling water flow, leading to warmer nearshore waters compared to offshore areas.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Coastal Ecology
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Kelp forests are known to influence coastal circulation patterns.
- The specific impact of kelp on headland upwelling dynamics remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how kelp forests affect upwelling processes around coastal headlands.
- To quantify the physical mechanisms by which kelp influences coastal flows and temperature.
Main Methods:
- Conducted tidal-cycle surveys off two headlands with differing kelp coverage.
- Utilized underway acoustic Doppler current profilers and backscatter to measure flow.
- Simultaneously recorded surface water temperature data.
Main Results:
- Headlands without kelp exhibited typical upwelling patterns.
- Dense kelp forests attenuated ambient flow and increased flow curvature.
- Kelp promoted 'flow ducting,' channeling water through gaps and suppressing upwelling.
- Nearshore waters remained warmer offshore due to kelp's suppression of cool subsurface water intrusion.
Conclusions:
- Kelp forests actively modify coastal physical processes, including upwelling.
- Flow ducting by kelp is a key mechanism suppressing headland upwelling.
- Biological structures like kelp forests can significantly alter oceanographic dynamics.
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