Presentation

Service provider: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR)
Funding source: ASSEMBLE Plus* (2020)

'In our project, we study the loss of kelp forests and their replacement by algal turfs. Although there is evidence of this seascape change worldwide, in NW Iberia, it has not been studied yet. NW Iberia coastlines are the southern distributional range of some kelp species, and to know if kelp disappearing from sites where they were present before is very useful.

ASSEMBLE Plus offered me the opportunity to go to the EMBRC site Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) in Porto and to collaborate with researchers with high experience in the study of kelp forests in this region.


My stay at CIIMAR was very fruitful and useful thanks to the organisation, hospitality and experience in studies of the marine environment of CIIMAR researchers. CIIMAR has the necessary infrastructure and equipment to carry out any work in the marine environment, and qualified staff to help you in both laboratory and fieldwork.

A non-healthy intertidal help forest that has been eaten by herbivores
A non-healthy intertidal help forest that has been eaten by herbivores
A healthy intertidal kelp forest
A healthy intertidal kelp forest

*ASSEMBLE Plus is an EMBRC-coordinated programme funded by Horizon 2020 under grant agreement number 730984
Images: courtesy of Cristina Piñeiro-Corbeira