Observing coastal marine environments of the French Southern Territories: impacts of global change, ecological issues and conservation

The French Southern Territories are characterized by unique oceanographic and biogeographic features that make them an exceptional case study for observing and understanding the effects of global change on vulnerable marine ecosystems. As a key component of the benthos, kelp beds constitute useful bio-indicators of the health of coastal marine environments, they host a rich biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Interpreting ecological changes and implementing appropriate management plans require setting up long-term and cross-disciplinary field observing systems of the abiotic and biotic components of these environments. The general objective of the project is to monitor and further investigate kelp bed environments of the French sub-Antarctic islands, which concentrate important ecological and conservation issues. The project will (1) study the impacts of climate change in kelp bed habitats by monitoring and analyzing local sea water temperature and salinity variations in relation to the variability of weather regimes, (2) charaterize the originality of kelp bed communities compared to other sub-Antarctic regions, (3) monitor variations in the extent of kelp bed habitats and in the composition of communities at different spatial and time scales, and (4) monitor the cryptic component of biodiversity including potential alien species. The project outcomes will contribute to improving our knowledge of marine diversity associated to kelp bed habitats to address conservation issues. It will provide nature reserve managers will scientific data and monitoring protocols for protection and conservation of coastal marine ecosystems of the sub-Antarctic islands.