1. Mark Rothman and Rob Anderson DAFF
The appearance of the west coast kelp Ecklonia maxima in the De Hoop MPA: lessons for the management of MPAs
Mark Rothman and Rob Anderson
DAFF

2. Ecklonia radiata (ex E. biruncinata)
Small – to about 60 cm
Solid stipe
Fronds spiny and ridged, or smooth
Intertidal pools and gulleys, to 1-2m depth
De Hoop to Port Edward (but also deep False Bay, Agulhas Bank, even N KZN?)

3. Ecklonia maxima
Large – stipes one to many metres
long (max. 15m!)
Stipes hollow
Fronds smooth
Gulleys and reef down to > 10m (very
seldom in intertidal pools)
Historical distribution:
North of Lüderitz to 10 km west of Cape
Agulhas (Papkuilsfontein).
(Eastern limit seen by Papenfuss in 1937, and reported in his 1942 paper. Confirmed
by Anderson & Bolton in 1987, observing
from a low-flying helicopter).

4. Ecklonia maxima at Koppie Alleen
Not easily missed!
No previous records there (publications, observations, collecting lists)
Was not there in 2004, 2005, 2006
(student field trips)
Was there in Aug 2008 (and since then)
Large – 1-2m stipes (at De Hoop)
Stipes hollow
Fronds smooth
Chokes many gulleys

5. African Journal of Marine Science 2012, 34(1): 147–151
South African kelp moving eastwards: the discovery of Ecklonia maxima
(Osbeck) Papenfuss at De Hoop Nature Reserve on the south coast of
South Africa
JJ Bolton, RJ Anderson, AJ Smit and MD Rothman
Historical and recent evidence is documented to demonstrate that the eastern limit of the major kelp-bed forming seaweed Ecklonia maxima has moved c. 73 km eastward along the south coast of South Africa since 2006, after remaining unchanged for almost 70 years. A significant population has established at Koppie Alleen, De Hoop Nature Reserve, which has been monitored from 2008 to It is hypothesised that the eastward spread is limited by aspects of the inshore water temperature regime, and recent evidence suggests that gradual cooling along this coast may have caused the change in distribution. It seems likely that if a cooling trend continues along the South African south coast, kelp beds and their associated species will move farther eastward in future decades, affecting the ecology and livelihoods along this coast.

6. Another example: Lunella (ex Turbo) coronatus
Large, distinctive tropical/subtropical gastropod
Previously recorded from tropics down to southern KZN
Now at Dwesa (Mendu Pt and Kobole Mouth) – plentiful (R Anderson, Sept 2016). (200 km range extension? Confirmed by George Branch).

7. Two important points emerge
Easily recognisable, large organisms
appear in an MPA, but are only
noticed by accident
2. What do these appearances mean?
Is the water at De Hoop cooling?
Is the water at Dwesa warming?
Biological
monitoring
Environmental
(Temperature?)

8. Monitoring vs research
Descriptive
Hypothesis-driven (pressure)
Long-term
Usually short-term
No pressure to publish?
Pressure to publish
Suitable for “Citizen Science” e.g. the CREW* model?
Not really suitable for “Citizen Science”.
* Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers programme

9. An example of hypothesis –driven research
Illustrate the difference between research and monitoring but data from monitoring.

10. Why look at seaweeds? No direct threats (insignificant exploitation)
Reds, greens and browns = 3 distinct phylogenetic lineages (3 phyla)
Seaweeds occupy all sorts of hard substrata
Sessile, reasonably long-lived (months to years)
Geog. distribution controlled by temperature
We have good distribution data for SA (many biogeog publications, and updated database)

11. South coast 50 km strips – clustering by seaweed species
De Hoop
Stilbaai
Goukamma
Tsitsikamma
Addo
Kei
Hluleka
Pondoland
Sardinia B
Robberg
MPAs are in different clusters, well spaced
Cluster analysis. Each cluster with at least one MPA. (Jaccard: Average linkage)

12. Two important points emerge
Easily recognisable, large organisms
appear in an MPA, but are only
noticed by accident
2. What do these appearances mean?
Is the water at De Hoop cooling?
Is the water at Dwesa warming?
Biological
monitoring
Environmental
(Temperature?)
Scientist cant do monitoring

13. Suggestions for biological monitoring (intertidal?)
Fixed sites
Photographs
Simple measurements/counts
Exploited spp (limpets, alikreukel, Haliotis, mussels, etc.)
Indicator or keystone species (sessile?)
Checking and curating the data
Feed results to researchers
Constraints:
Money, time and trained staff!

14. Suggestions for physical/environmental monitoring
Fixed sites
Shores and estuaries
Simple measurements
Temperature (excellent loggers available). SAEON?
Sand movement (photos, reference points)
Checking and curating the data
Encouraging and supporting research
Others may notice changes
Align physical and biological monitoring sites?
Constraints:
Money, time and trained staff!

15. Conclusion
We need basic monitoring in MPAs – and outside them!
Mkambathi, 2015