# Consequences of kelp forest ecosystem shifts and predictors of persistence through multiple stressors

*PRI Rank #15 · Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and coastal plant biology Papers, Class of 2026*

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/marine-and-coastal-plant-biology/2026/rank-15*

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Rank | #15 |
| 18m citations | 23 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences |
| Year | 2024 |
| DOI | 10.1098/rspb.2023.2749 |
| Corresponding authors | Joshua G. Smith |
| Institution | Monterey Bay Aquarium, United States |

**Ranking page:** [Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and coastal plant biology Papers, Class of 2026](https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/marine-and-coastal-plant-biology/2026)

**Paper link:** [10.1098/rspb.2023.2749](https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.2749)

## Topics

Kelp forests · alternative stable states · sea urchin outbreak · sea urchin barrens · overgrazing · macroalgae loss · subtidal monitoring dataset · Central coast of California · Community shift · spatial mosaic of forests and barrens · Taxonomic diversity decline · species richness redistribution · sea urchin behaviour · forest persistence · multiple stressors · spatial heterogeneity · baseline environmental conditions · Regime shift · invertebrate-algae-fish community · Long-term ecological monitoring

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and coastal plant biology Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/marine-and-coastal-plant-biology/2026. Accessed 2026-07-24.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
```