Echinoderm Conservation

Members
Benyapa Kaewjinda
Ramita Chalearmchutidath
Nattha Pongplanchai
Poondarik Tayawitit
Samaphoo Assametankul

Graph

Figure 1: the population size of sea urchin in all countries

Figure 2: The population size of sea urchin in Norway and Sweden, whose have an upward
trend

Figure 3: The population size of sea urchin in countries which have a downward trend

Average
Figure 4: The average population size of sea urchin in all countries, upward trend countries,
and downward trend countries.

Map
 Analysis

According to figure 1, the overall trend is negative except for Norway and
Sweden. Spain has the most significant drop in the population size of sea urchin
over 30 years: 44 individuals/hectare. On the other hand, Sweden and France have
the smallest change in sea urchin: 20 individuals/hectare, only it is a rise in Sweden
and a drop in France. In addition, Ireland had the highest sea urchin population of 55
individuals/hectare in 1985 and dropped to 16 in 2015, making it the second highest
population drop among the nine countries. In 1985, the population size of sea urchin
in Spain and Netherlands was the same: 30 individuals/hectare. As the time passed
by, the sea urchin’s population size of both country fell down, but Spain decreased
more rapidly than the Netherlands. France, Spain, Portugal, and Denmark
demonstrates the total population of sea urchin in 2015 as the lowest of all nine
countries with the number of 1, 1, 2, and 3 individuals/hectare respectively.

According to figure 4, the average population size of sea urchin decrease

from 1985 to 2000, and stay considerably still since then. The average of sea urchin
population in all countries in 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 are 34.67
individual/hectare, 30.1 individual/hectare, 24 individual/hectare, 17.2
individual/hectare,19.5 individual/hectare, 18.6 individual/hectare, and
17.11individual/hectare respectively. The reason for the constant in average
population size since 2000 although the population in each countries fluctuate might
be a result of sea urchin moving their habitats to different countries.

Sea urchin’s population size in Spain, France, and Portugal will likely stay
steady over several years in the future. According to the blue line in figure 4, from
2005 to 2015, amount of population in these countries stay constant. Thus, after
2015 the trend of the population does not change that much. For Denmark, Ireland,
Uk, and Netherland, which amount of population decrease over time, possible the
graph tend to decrease same as the past slightly. Lastly, Norway and Sweden, which
are only two countries from nine countries that in Scandinavia, the trend of this two
countries tends to increase. However, these predictions do not involve natural
phenomenon that can change the amount of population in the future.

The fluctuation in population of Sea urchin can be explained by the reasons

below:
1. Carrying capacity
According to figure 4, the average number of all population of sea urchin in all
countries decreases steadily, before reaching a constant number of approximately
18. It can be said that the population of sea urchin reach the carrying capacity, which
is the maximum population size that the environment can sustain due to food and
resources. Therefore, if there is more resources in the environment, the number of
sea urchin will increase, so, the decreasing in population over the time of 20 years is
not an urgent problem.
2. Otter population increase
Otters feed on sea urchin. Since 1900s otters population has significantly
increase, meaning they feed more on the sea urchin, causing the sea urchin to
decline. However, although the population of sea otter increases, the predator of the
sea otter is still control the population size of sea otter, as a result, the number of sea
otter will not be more than now. As a result of constant number of sea otter, the
population size of sea urchin will be constant too.
3. five years ago, winter storm moves sea urchin from the South to
Sweden and Norway
There were 2 winter storms occurred during the past time, causing the food
sources of sea urchins, kelp, was removed out of the area, as a result, sea urchins
were forced to move out to find other food sources, or die because of the lack of
food. Although there is less population of sea urchin in the south, the northern
Europe still have an increasing number of population of sea urchin.
4. Increase fishing in Spain and Portogal can effect the population of
Sea urchin
Portugal and Spain are countries which do fishery a lot. As the time pass, the
demand of sea animal is increase, causing the fishery in Spain and Portugal is even
more. However, people does not do fishery in the northern Europe as much as in
Spain and Portugal, so the population of sea urchin in northern Europe countries are
keep higher and higher.
 Manipulation

The loss of the European Edible Sea urchin is not an urgent problem at present. As
shown in the graph, population of European Edible Sea Urchin in Sweden and Norway
increase significantly over the last 35 years. In Sweden, the population increase from 22 to
42 (increase by 20 individuals/hectare) and in Norway, the population increase from 19 to 52
( increase by 32 individuals/hectare) In addition, the percent change are 90.9 and 168.4
respectively. Hence the European Edible Sea Urchin is not at all in danger. In contrast, the
population is growing at a constant rate and are predicted to rise steadily in the future.
 Summary

All in all, the sea urchin trend increased and decreased throughout the 30
years period. Relating to the Area’s graph, the graph can be separated into two area.
First, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, and France.
In these countries, they sharing the same characteristic of area. These country lay
on the side of North Atlantic Ocean and on the North Atlantic Ocean current, these
countries population trends decreased approximately 20-30 individuals/ hectares. In
contrast, the population in the second area are increase throughout the period.
Norway, and Sweden sea urchin density increase 20 individuals/ hectares. These
different trends can be effect by many factors such as fishery, increase of otter
population, and winter storm, etc.