Anchoring permits kelp to acquire an ecological niche in coastal oceans: A model analysis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Anchoring permits kelp to acquire an ecological niche in coastal oceans

T2 - A model analysis

AU - Gao, Meng

AU - Milligan, Allen J.

AU - Deutsch, Curtis

AU - Inomura, Keisuke

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Authors.

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - Kelps (brown algae of the order Laminariales) are foundation species in coastal temperate oceans. As ecosystem engineers, they moderate local environments, provide habitats and food, and shape community structure. Despite their high rates of primary production, kelps overall growth rates are lower than co-occurring phytoplankton, and their competitive strength remains elusive. Here we developed a coastal ecological model including physical and biological processes to examine the most important factors for kelp survival. By comparing the distribution of kelp and phytoplankton, we found that kelp can accumulate larger biomass than phytoplankton because anchoring prevents them from being swept offshore away from high coastal nutrients. Slower water speed can eliminate kelp's advantage, which may explain the effect of El Niño and La Niña on kelp forests. Our simulation highlights the competitive ability of kelp and informs future in situ measurements and coastal ecosystem models.

AB - Kelps (brown algae of the order Laminariales) are foundation species in coastal temperate oceans. As ecosystem engineers, they moderate local environments, provide habitats and food, and shape community structure. Despite their high rates of primary production, kelps overall growth rates are lower than co-occurring phytoplankton, and their competitive strength remains elusive. Here we developed a coastal ecological model including physical and biological processes to examine the most important factors for kelp survival. By comparing the distribution of kelp and phytoplankton, we found that kelp can accumulate larger biomass than phytoplankton because anchoring prevents them from being swept offshore away from high coastal nutrients. Slower water speed can eliminate kelp's advantage, which may explain the effect of El Niño and La Niña on kelp forests. Our simulation highlights the competitive ability of kelp and informs future in situ measurements and coastal ecosystem models.

KW - Advection

KW - Biomass

KW - Coastal ocean

KW - Ecological niche

KW - Growth rate

KW - Kelp

KW - Nutrient

KW - Phytoplankton

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028511612

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028511612#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2026.e44523

DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2026.e44523

M3 - Article

SN - 2405-8440

VL - 12

JO - Heliyon

JF - Heliyon

IS - 2

M1 - e44523

ER -