Scurria-Lessonia association as an indicator of ecological integrity in exploited kelp beds of Lessonia berteroana (ex L. nigrescens) in northern Chile

Scurria scurra is a patelogastropod inhabiting the stipes and holdfasts cavities of Lessonia nigrescens complex species forming a herbivore-kelp association highly specialized. It has been proposed that the exploitation of kelp beds of Lessonia berteroana in northern Chile is a disturbance that affects Scurria-Lessonia association such as ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) events. Considering the above, and the important ecological role that have kelps as foundation species, this study proposes the use of Scurria-Lessonia association as an ecological indicator to monitor the integrity of kelp beds of L. berteroana. To achieve this, the abundance and size structure of S. scurra in plants of L. berteroana was evaluated under 3 different types of conservation strategies of fishing resources: open access areas and management areas (with harvest), and marine protected areas (without harvest) in the Region of Atacama and Region of Coquimbo, Chile. In addition, we monitored the time of recovery post-harvest of Scurria-Lessonia association in an experimental site (Lagunillas, 30°S). The results show that S. scurra population in open access areas is dominated by juveniles in low abundances, a situation not detected in management areas and marine protected areas. Furthermore, the recovery of S. scurra post-harvest of Lessonia at the experimental site took more than 2 years (30 months). An indicator was proposed to validate the actions of management plan of brown algae for open access areas to fisheries. This ecological indicator is easy to observe, evaluate and disseminate among users of the productive chain of Chilean kelp resource