Using historical analysis to inform the ecological applications of nautical charts

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dc.contributor.authorDhillon, Ursula
dc.contributor.supervisorMcClenachan, Loren
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-01T17:42:45Z
dc.date.available2025-10-01T17:42:45Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of History
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts MA
dc.description.abstractAs coastal ecosystems collapse, historical ecologists have taken interest in the long-term dynamics of kelp forests (Macrocystis pyrifera and Nereocystis luetkeana). Nautical charts created by colonial cartographers often include historical representations of kelp forest distribution and are useful for reconstructing the historical baselines of kelp ecosystems on the west coast of North America. To examine the limitations and possibilities of how these nautical charts can be applied to identify the historical presence of kelp forests, this thesis elucidates the historical context of these nautical charts, including the roles of key figures such as George Vancouver, George Richards, and George Davidson. This research also compares contemporary charts from the late-eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, demonstrating how the associated histories of nautical charts provide a more localized and holistic understanding of historical kelp and, more broadly, how historical research can inform the applications of historical sources to marine ecology.
dc.description.embargo2026-09-10
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduate
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/22821
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Web
dc.subjectKelp forests
dc.subjectHistorical ecology
dc.subjectNautical charts
dc.subjectEnvironmental history
dc.subjectHistory of maps
dc.subjectMarine historical ecology
dc.titleUsing historical analysis to inform the ecological applications of nautical charts
dc.typeThesis

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