Ocean Biodiversity Narratives Beyond Charismatic Megafauna: A Case Study in South African Kelp Forests
2026 Faculty Research Award
AWARD PERIOD: 2026-2028
Kelp forests, which support marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods, are declining globally. The Great African Seaforest, which extends along the west coast of South Africa from Cape Town to Namibia, is the only kelp forest to have expanded over the past four decades. But despite this expansion, two species within the Great African Seaforest are at risk of extinction due to local environmental stressors and overfishing: the South African abalone (Haliotis midae) and the West Coast rock lobster (Jasus Ialandii). Both species are important for the kelp forest’s overall health—while abalone help prevent algal blooms, rock lobsters keep ecologically destructive sea urchins in check—but neither is the typical poster child for conservation. To aid abalone and rock lobster conservation, Allison Carruth, ENV Program Director and Professor of American Studies and HMEI, and Laure Resplandy, Associate Professor of Geosciences and HMEI, will create a series of narrative-based multimedia stories that interweave scientific research with community interviews and archival materials to paint portraits of the abalone and rock lobster within the context of the changing kelp forests. These stories will take a variety of forms, including videos, podcasts, photography collections, and social media campaigns, which the team will compare and assess through test group viewings with community members. This project will raise local awareness for the abalone and rock lobster and create a blueprint for developing storytelling approaches that aid the conservation of other species that are easily overlooked but ecologically essential.
Participating Department
- Effron Center for the Study of America
- High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
- Department of Geosciences
Faculty
