Investigations of frond and blade lifetime in giant kelp

Temporal variation in primary producer biomass has profound effects on the structure and function of the surrounding ecological community. The giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), the dominant subtidal marine alga along the southern California coastline, exhibits strong intra-annual variation in biomass density.  This variation is better explained by the dynamics of fronds than by that of whole plants.  To better understand the processes controlling the dynamics of giant kelp fronds, I employed a multi-faceted approach that includes analysis of SBC LTER long-term data, field experimentation, and a theoretical exercise. The results of this project are put in a broad ecological context, and are compared with results from vascular plant theory and observation on leaf lifespan and turnover.