Restoration Objective:
This study evaluated whether chimeric kelps exhibit higher genetic diversity and increased fitness compared to genetically homogenous plants. Higher genetic diversity can improve the long-term population sustainability resulting from restoration and restocking efforts.
Site Selection Criteria:
The selected sites had historically experienced over-exploitation and mining activity.
Cause Of Decline:
Along the Chilean coastline, kelp forests (Lessonia- Macrocystis) sustain a broad diversity of marine organisms and are a source of raw materials for several industries (alginates, biofuels, and feed for abalone rearing). Annual harvests of up to 400,000 dry tons provide 10% of the total biomass of brown algae worldwide. However, the frequent harvesting has resulted in population reduction and fragmentation.
