The kelp forest is ephemeral, yet foundational. Fronds of this fast-growing giant seaweed come and go with the seasons, storms and waves, supporting communities of fish, invertebrates and even mammals wherever they emerge. As dynamic as they are in the ocean, kelp forests are also essential for its nearby shoreline communities, as fronds of this seaweed wash up on the beach, providing sustenance for invertebrates and serving as the foundation of beach food webs.

11 September 2025/Ghent/Kiel. With a four-day meeting at Ghent University, the third phase of the European research project MiningImpact has officially begun. Researchers from nine countries are joining forces to study the ecological consequences of deep-sea mining – both in polymetallic nodule fields and at seafloor massive sulphide deposits along mid-ocean ridges.

New research from Simon Fraser University (SFU) Biological Sciences researchers finds that Pacific salmon are facing escalating threats due to a lack of coordinated conservation policy and oversight.

Their study, published this week in FACETS outlines how the existing suite of environmental regulations across multiple jurisdictions in British Columbia is failing to manage the cumulative impacts of industrial development and climate change on salmon and watersheds, and suggests opportunities for reform.