MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre - Boca do Inferno

Restoration Project

MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre - Boca do Inferno

Restoration Objective:

This study aimed to conduct the first trials of Kelp habitat restoration using the green gravel method in southern Europe.

Site Selection Criteria:

All sites were selected to have predominantly rocky substrate with minimal sand (<5%) and were deployed at consistent depths (~17–18 m), matching the reference kelp forest. Shallower deployments (5–10 m) were excluded due to gravel loss in prior trials, and light availability at these depths was not considered limiting, as kelp forests along the Portuguese coast occur to at least 25 m depth

Key Reasons For Decline:

Unspecified

Scientific Paper

Assessing Atlantic Kelp Forest Restoration Efforts in Southern Europe

Marques, A. F., Sanchéz-Gallego, Á., Correia, R. R., Sousa-Pinto, I., Chemello, S., Louro, I., ... & Franco, J. N. (2024).https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/21/9176

Organisation:

MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre

MARE is a multipolar RD&I Centre, presently with seven poles, six of them located at higher education campus in Portuguese mainland, respectively University of Coimbra (MARE-UCoimbra), Polytechnic of Leiria (MARE-IPLeiria), University of Lisbon (MARE-ULisboa), NOVA University of Lisbon (MARE-NOVA), ISPA (MARE-ISPA), and University of Évora (MARE-UÉvora), plus one pole in the Madeira archipelago (MARE-Madeira).

MARE combines expertise allowing approaching scientifically and technologically all types of aquatic systems, from river basins and associated landscapes, to estuaries, coastal, and large marine ecosystems.

Site Observations:

Observation Date

1st Apr 2023 – 1st Dec 2023

Action Summary:

Native juvenile kelp were cultivated on green gravel in the laboratory and subsequently deployed at the restoration site, where they were monitored for 8 months.

Lessons Learned:

Site selection should prioritise rockier, reef plateau–like substrata, while accounting for grazing pressure and sedimentation risk, which can substantially limit green gravel survival.

Project Outcomes:

In this study, a kelp reforestation trial was conducted using the green gravel method for the first time in southern Europe. The findings show the potential of using this methodology along Portugal’s coastline, with Laminaria ochroleuca as the selected kelp species. Environmental factors such as nutrient availability, water movement, and temperature did not appear to hinder deployment success. While less rugged, rockier reef plateau–like substratum seemed to improve success, grazing pressure and post-deployment sedimentation (not measured in this study) were likely the main obstacles to green gravel survival. Despite these challenges, a maximum success rate of ~12% was achieved over an 8-month period. Deployment success was highest in Consolação (11.8%), followed by Elefante (6.7%) and Galos (4.4%), while Cascais had no green gravel with attached kelp.

Area of Restoration (Ha)

0.01

Indicator Data:

Indicator:

Ending Value:

Starting Value:

Percent Survival

0.0000
%
100.0000
%
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