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Madison Wildlife

Madison Bowden-Parry

Marine scientist, underwater photographer and filmmaker and storyteller

Kelp El Nino

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The sea we see today, is not the sea we used to see 💭

I recently spoke at a national marine conference about my work as a marine historical ecologist. Afterwards in the break, there was lots interest in my work, and surprise in how much the ocean has changed and how we can study the past.

We so often forget, or haven’t experienced these things first hand (see other posts on shifting baselines syndrome), that before we started scientifically monitoring the ocean, we were exploring and exploiting it for food, materials, navigation and well-being. Across the globe, we have depended on marine and coastal ecosystems for millennia, and as our reliance on the ocean progressed, so did our impact on it.

But for so long, legacies of human-ocean interactions were disregarded and not valued in science, creating huge gaps in our knowledge of past oceans.

This gap is problematic for contemporary management and conservation, because to work towards meaningful goals, we need an understanding of long-term dynamics, responses to change and accurate measures of system health.

Read more about this and kelp systems via the link in my bio 🔗

The sea we see today, is not the sea we used to see 💭

I recently spoke at a national marine conference about my work as a marine historical ecologist. Afterwards in the break, there was lots interest in my work, and surprise in how much the ocean has changed and how we can study the past.

We so often forget, or haven’t experienced these things first hand (see other posts on shifting baselines syndrome), that before we started scientifically monitoring the ocean, we were exploring and exploiting it for food, materials, navigation and well-being. Across the globe, we have depended on marine and coastal ecosystems for millennia, and as our reliance on the ocean progressed, so did our impact on it.

But for so long, legacies of human-ocean interactions were disregarded and not valued in science, creating huge gaps in our knowledge of past oceans.

This gap is problematic for contemporary management and conservation, because to work towards meaningful goals, we need an understanding of long-term dynamics, responses to change and accurate measures of system health.

Read more about this and kelp systems via the link in my bio 🔗

Happy Friday lovelies!

This week, I’ve been on a whistle stop trip to chat all things #kelp in the UK. It was great to hear more from other labs who are doing such brilliant work. There were some fascinating talks, all of which illustrate how we are filling gaps in our knowledge of UK kelp systems that can be used to inform on their future.

There was a breadth of research on-going, from historical time series, dynamics and climate change impacts, ecotoxicology, restoration techniques and cultivation, lots of cool modelling and monitoring projects and more. Lots going on for national kelp forests and hopefully more to come!

Now it’s back to work myself 🌱

📸 @madison_wildlife I took this last Sunday, when the vis was stunning!

Happy Friday lovelies!

This week, I’ve been on a whistle stop trip to chat all things #kelp in the UK. It was great to hear more from other labs who are doing such brilliant work. There were some fascinating talks, all of which illustrate how we are filling gaps in our knowledge of UK kelp systems that can be used to inform on their future.

There was a breadth of research on-going, from historical time series, dynamics and climate change impacts, ecotoxicology, restoration techniques and cultivation, lots of cool modelling and monitoring projects and more. Lots going on for national kelp forests and hopefully more to come!

Now it’s back to work myself 🌱

📸 @madison_wildlife I took this last Sunday, when the vis was stunning!

The UK’s first national kelp conference is this week! 🌱

This Wednesday, the #KelpSummit2025 will be in full swing! This conference will bring together experts, practitioners and the community to discuss UK kelp forests and their future.

I’ll be bringing something different to the table and chatting about the importance of the past and what these data can tell us. Specifically, my talk will detail my work into uncovering the historical ecology of Sussex kelp habitats and how I went about it.

Gearing myself up (literally) this weekend, ready for a few full on days of KELP!

…although my days are always like this, but this time it’s alongside brilliant colleagues!

Wearing @apeksdiving #VX1 mask, #TherimQ drysuit, #RK3 HD fins and the #Ocea regs 🩵

The UK’s first national kelp conference is this week! 🌱

This Wednesday, the #KelpSummit2025 will be in full swing! This conference will bring together experts, practitioners and the community to discuss UK kelp forests and their future.

I’ll be bringing something different to the table and chatting about the importance of the past and what these data can tell us. Specifically, my talk will detail my work into uncovering the historical ecology of Sussex kelp habitats and how I went about it.

Gearing myself up (literally) this weekend, ready for a few full on days of KELP!

…although my days are always like this, but this time it’s alongside brilliant colleagues!

Wearing @apeksdiving #VX1 mask, #TherimQ drysuit, #RK3 HD fins and the #Ocea regs 🩵

Spring on the seabed 🌞

After a winter of growth, now is the time when you’ll start to see young kelp sporophytes popping up 🌱 On my dives this week I saw exactly that! To me, that means Spring is underway 🌼

Pictured here are Laminaria hyperborea, a kelp species commonly known as tangle. They are perennials that can live as long as ~20 years, and are often found in deeper waters. Although, like here, if the conditions and competition are right, they can be found in the shallows too. A fantastic forest kelp!

Spring on the seabed 🌞

After a winter of growth, now is the time when you’ll start to see young kelp sporophytes popping up 🌱 On my dives this week I saw exactly that! To me, that means Spring is underway 🌼

Pictured here are Laminaria hyperborea, a kelp species commonly known as tangle. They are perennials that can live as long as ~20 years, and are often found in deeper waters. Although, like here, if the conditions and competition are right, they can be found in the shallows too. A fantastic forest kelp!

The reason I do what I do.. 🩵

It can so easily be forgotten, the diversity, beauty and intricate networks that exist. Even for those that study and dedicate decades to understanding marine systems and species, we often spend many hours behind a screen.

It is important for us to not only study marine science, but to be a marine scientist - this involves continued exploration and experience and consistent learnings from the field, wrapped up with an element of child-like wonder.

💙 @apeksdiving #Ocea #ThermiQ 📸 @madison_wildlife

The reason I do what I do.. 🩵

It can so easily be forgotten, the diversity, beauty and intricate networks that exist. Even for those that study and dedicate decades to understanding marine systems and species, we often spend many hours behind a screen.

It is important for us to not only study marine science, but to be a marine scientist - this involves continued exploration and experience and consistent learnings from the field, wrapped up with an element of child-like wonder.

💙 @apeksdiving #Ocea #ThermiQ 📸 @madison_wildlife

In kelp gone by 💭

Across the British Isles, kelps have been used for centuries. They were invaluable in progressing and shaping early industry, particularly in Scotland, where kelp was collected, dried and then burnt (a process known as ‘kelping’), to produce soda ash for glass and soap making. Later, a similar process was used for the production of iodine, providing a much needed substitute whilst all imports of Spanish barilla soda were halted during the Napoleonic wars.

With kelp now being used for alginate production, fertiliser and animal feeds, it is clear that it still remains ecologically, economically and culturally important for society today.

A lot has changed since our journey began with these wonderful forests. Although our interactions with them look different today, our roots remain the same. Focus is shifting back to kelp industries and how we can utilise them for a sustainable future, but we are also enjoying their beauty, recreational use and well-being benefits; feeling a sense of place amongst the kelp-filled coasts of our communities 💚

Read the full story on @reflections.site via the link in my bio!

In kelp gone by 💭

Across the British Isles, kelps have been used for centuries. They were invaluable in progressing and shaping early industry, particularly in Scotland, where kelp was collected, dried and then burnt (a process known as ‘kelping’), to produce soda ash for glass and soap making. Later, a similar process was used for the production of iodine, providing a much needed substitute whilst all imports of Spanish barilla soda were halted during the Napoleonic wars.

With kelp now being used for alginate production, fertiliser and animal feeds, it is clear that it still remains ecologically, economically and culturally important for society today.

A lot has changed since our journey began with these wonderful forests. Although our interactions with them look different today, our roots remain the same. Focus is shifting back to kelp industries and how we can utilise them for a sustainable future, but we are also enjoying their beauty, recreational use and well-being benefits; feeling a sense of place amongst the kelp-filled coasts of our communities 💚

Read the full story on @reflections.site via the link in my bio!

@reflections.site is LIVE!

Reflections presents a hub of ocean knowledge wherever you are. Through the use of strong visual storytelling, Reflections is a repository of evidence-based knowledge of the ocean, with the aim to inform, educate and inspire readers.

Thank you to the wonderful and powerhouse group behind Reflections, for inviting me to tell the story of ocean history and kelp gone by. In this story, you’ll learn about our shifting ocean perspective and why it’s important, as well as how this influences our work today and its applications for marine systems - such as kelp forests.

I hope you enjoy it 🔗 in bio to read!

@reflections.site is LIVE!

Reflections presents a hub of ocean knowledge wherever you are. Through the use of strong visual storytelling, Reflections is a repository of evidence-based knowledge of the ocean, with the aim to inform, educate and inspire readers.

Thank you to the wonderful and powerhouse group behind Reflections, for inviting me to tell the story of ocean history and kelp gone by. In this story, you’ll learn about our shifting ocean perspective and why it’s important, as well as how this influences our work today and its applications for marine systems - such as kelp forests.

I hope you enjoy it 🔗 in bio to read!

Happy New Year all ✨

2024 came and went so quickly. Despite spending lots more time underwater, I seemed to forget to document lots of it topside this year 😅

This year has been filled with beautiful experiences such as a photographer in residence and seeing my first ever (and bucket list species!) humphead wrasse in Egypt with @girlsthatscuba, co-organising, speaking at and winning best talk at the international @oceanspast conference, the opportunity to speak and discuss my work with experts in marine historical ecology in Greece and of course exploring more of my homeland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and my adopted Kernow home above and below the surface 🤿

I look forward to what 2025 has in store. For now, it’s back to the field and more kelping around, literally and obviously 🤿

Happy New Year all ✨

2024 came and went so quickly. Despite spending lots more time underwater, I seemed to forget to document lots of it topside this year 😅

This year has been filled with beautiful experiences such as a photographer in residence and seeing my first ever (and bucket list species!) humphead wrasse in Egypt with @girlsthatscuba, co-organising, speaking at and winning best talk at the international @oceanspast conference, the opportunity to speak and discuss my work with experts in marine historical ecology in Greece and of course exploring more of my homeland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and my adopted Kernow home above and below the surface 🤿

I look forward to what 2025 has in store. For now, it’s back to the field and more kelping around, literally and obviously 🤿

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda 🎄

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year all ✨

A huge thanks to everyone who made this year a wonderful one. It was full of great wildlife adventures, lots of underwater time and epic marine research. I’m looking forward to more of this in 2025!

@apeksdiving 🤿

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda 🎄

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year all ✨

A huge thanks to everyone who made this year a wonderful one. It was full of great wildlife adventures, lots of underwater time and epic marine research. I’m looking forward to more of this in 2025!

@apeksdiving 🤿

Another one from a summer of ocean adventures!

Lots of these beauties to see whilst diving in Egypt - often found in the shallows or hiding in amongst the reefs a little deeper. I didn’t see as many on this trip, but on previous trips (mostly consisting of shore dives), they are truly the star of the show before descending on a night dive. I could watch them forage for hours.. often with some goatfish in tow!

Interestingly, a study published in nature this year has utilised the mark recapture method of photo-ID to identify individual blue-spotted ribbontail rays. Authors here were able to validate dorsal spot patterns on individuals with traditional tagging methods, showing that generally larger spots and patterns persist for over 16 months. Super cool!

#rays #egypt #uwphoto #underwaterphotography #scubadiving #marinebiology #Taeniuralymma (McIvor et al., 2024)

📸 @madison_wildlife

Another one from a summer of ocean adventures!

Lots of these beauties to see whilst diving in Egypt - often found in the shallows or hiding in amongst the reefs a little deeper. I didn’t see as many on this trip, but on previous trips (mostly consisting of shore dives), they are truly the star of the show before descending on a night dive. I could watch them forage for hours.. often with some goatfish in tow!

Interestingly, a study published in nature this year has utilised the mark recapture method of photo-ID to identify individual blue-spotted ribbontail rays. Authors here were able to validate dorsal spot patterns on individuals with traditional tagging methods, showing that generally larger spots and patterns persist for over 16 months. Super cool!

#rays #egypt #uwphoto #underwaterphotography #scubadiving #marinebiology #Taeniuralymma (McIvor et al., 2024)

📸 @madison_wildlife

I had to post it! What a beautiful reminder that we always need - diverse, productive, intricate and delicate, the list goes on. The ocean supports and provides, it needs our attention, always. A reminder today, will set us up for a better tomorrow. 🩵

Always in @apeksdiving

I had to post it! What a beautiful reminder that we always need - diverse, productive, intricate and delicate, the list goes on. The ocean supports and provides, it needs our attention, always. A reminder today, will set us up for a better tomorrow. 🩵

Always in @apeksdiving

We know about the importance of kelp systems. From ecological to social values, and everything in between, kelp forests are critical to temperate coastlines.

We also know that many regions are experiencing dramatic declines and this will only progress with increasing intensities of stressors.

I often write about how historical approaches can allow us to better understand systems; their extent and magnitude of change and their variability, for example.

This field and its research are fundamental, allowing us to lead with broad scale questions regarding the long-term dynamics of marine systems and the responses and outcomes of change.

Generally, our knowledge of kelp ecosystems across multi-decadal and century scales is limited - yet are useful for future management and conservation actions, and of course policy.

📸 @madison_wildlife

We know about the importance of kelp systems. From ecological to social values, and everything in between, kelp forests are critical to temperate coastlines.

We also know that many regions are experiencing dramatic declines and this will only progress with increasing intensities of stressors.

I often write about how historical approaches can allow us to better understand systems; their extent and magnitude of change and their variability, for example.

This field and its research are fundamental, allowing us to lead with broad scale questions regarding the long-term dynamics of marine systems and the responses and outcomes of change.

Generally, our knowledge of kelp ecosystems across multi-decadal and century scales is limited - yet are useful for future management and conservation actions, and of course policy.

📸 @madison_wildlife

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