SPECTRAL Remote Sensing Lab study finds surprising kelp resilience in BC鈥檚 Broughton Archipelago
April 23, 2025
New research from the 麻豆精品’s SPECTRAL Lab is offering a rare note of optimism in the global story of kelp forest decline. Using over four decades of satellite imagery, a study published by UVic Geography researchers including Lauren Man, Romina Barbosa, Alena Wachmann, and professor Dr. Maycira Costa has uncovered unexpected resilience—and even expansion—of canopy-forming kelp forests in British Columbia’s remote Broughton Archipelago. The study, published in Fronteirs in Marine Science, provides valuable insights into how local environmental conditions can mediate the impacts of global climate change.
Mapping kelp change from space
To track long-term changes in kelp forests, the research team analyzed more than 35 years of satellite imagery, focusing on bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). Combining remote sensing with spatial modeling, they assessed kelp canopy dynamics from 1984 to 2020.
The results showed remarkable persistence and in some cases growth of kelp beds—particularly along outer coastlines where temperatures may be cooler.
The role of environmental complexity
Located along BC’s remote Central Coast, the Broughton Archipelago is defined by cool water temperatures, relatively flat bottom slopes, high seawater salinity, exposure, and tidal current speeds. Due to its strong environmental gradient in seawater temperature and clear differences in bathymetry, the region can be distinctly divided into two subregions: the cooler, dynamic western archipelago, and the warmer, sheltered, eastern fjords.
his environmental heterogeneity appears to play a critical role in supporting kelp growth. Cooler waters, wave exposure, and localized oceanographic features create habitats that may help kelp persist even as broader warming trends intensify.
One of the most significant findings from the study is that the Broughton Archipelago may function as a “climate refuge”—a location where local conditions offer protection from global climate stressors. Identifying and understanding these refuges is increasingly important for conservation planning.
A model for coastal resilience research
The SPECTRAL Lab’s work also carries implications for marine planning, Indigenous governance, and collaborative conservation. The spatial tools and long-term maps used in the study can support ecosystem-based management, inform marine protected area (MPA) design, and strengthen Indigenous-led stewardship in the region.
The study exemplifies UVic Geography's broader mission to use spatial technologies—such as remote sensing, drone imagery, and GIS—to investigate environmental change across western Canada. By building long-term datasets and developing tools that can be shared across research and policy communities, the lab supports both scientific discovery and practical decision-making.
As kelp forests worldwide continue to face mounting pressures, this study offers a valuable reminder: not all ecosystems are responding the same way, and identifying those that are thriving can provide critical lessons for the future.
Read the full study here: