Testing the roles of local adaptation and genetic diversity to improve Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) restoration

Kelp spores were sourced from parent kelp individuals at two sites in Barkley Sound, British Columbia, Canada: Ed King Island (cooler on average) and Dixon Island (warmer on average). Kelp were then outplanted back at the two sites in a reciprocal transplant design.

The goal of this experiment was to test whether giant kelp grows better at its home site than at an away site, and whether kelp cultures with a greater number of parents (higher genetic diversity) perform better. The dataset consists of survival (number gravels with live kelp out of gravels remaining in plot) and growth (total length of the longest kelp on five randomly selected gravels per plot) estimates at four timepoints (April, May, June, August) taken by SCUBA divers.