Kelp populations have climate change pressuring their survival, biotic and abiotic stressors like sea urchin predation, and rising sea water temperatures are two of the most impacting factors threatening kelp forests in the western coast of the U.S. Kelp forests are a biodiverse-rich habitat which serve as feeding and breeding grounds for many ecological, and economically important species . We have formed a non-profit organization, AltaSeads Conservancy, with a mission to safeguard kelp populations in ex-situ temperature-controlled chambers. Our focus and goal are to create an open repository of well-studied strains available for restorationists, researchers, and farmers. Currently we hold 600 hundred individual strains of Macrocystis pyrifera, Giant kelp, in our collection; as well as over 400 individuals from species such as Egregia menziesii , Undaria pinnafitida , Costaria costata , etc (12 species to date) ; which includes a collection of species spanning over 30 years. And we are to receive an import of 1350 individuals of Nereocystis luetkeana , bull kelp during Winter 2023 . We are also reaching out to colleagues to send us kelp reproductive tissue so we may isolate new strains into our collection.
Recent trials have shown the feasibility of using gametophytes for seeding seedstring lines for kelp farming. Using this approach, it is possible to select for specific traits of interest like thermal tolerance, higher sugar content, faster growth, etc. We are interested in implementing these protocols for restoration purposes, following guidelines from regulatory authorities to avoid negatively impacting local populations.
Lastly, o ur organization is also engaged in outreach and education activities, having received visits from over 4 00 K-12 school students, and over 2,000 general public at our facilities located in the AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles Campus in the year 2023 .