Kelp Forests, Canopies Of The Sea

Hi friend! Today we are back with another marine ecosystems blog! Today we are talking all about kelp forests, the canopies of the sea. Today you’ll learn where they are found, their importance, the challenges they face, and how we can help.

What is kelp? Kelp is large brown algae. The large collection of brown algae are called kelp forests. Kelps forests usually include two species giant kelp and bull kelp. Kelp forests are found along the west coast of North America, in places like Canada, Alaska, and southern California. Kelp forests grow in cooler water and in shallow areas, usually near rocky coastlines, as they need sunlight for photosynthesis. Kelp forest can be considered similar to real forests in that they have tiers or canopies, that is home to different animals. They also experience seasonal changes for example, in the winter storms will tear away the kelp making it feel like trees that have lost their leaves.

Why are kelp forests important? Well for starters like a real forest it provides food and shelter to many different species, making it biodiverse. The different animals that live here include thousands of fish like different species of rockfish, invertebrates like worms, snails, brittle stars, urchins, marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and sea otters. A loss of habitat would mean the loss of many different species. Kelp forests help with storms reducing the strength of the wave protecting the coastline. Kelp forests also take in carbon dioxide helping with the warming of our oceans.

Kelp forests are facing many challenges. The first one is climate change, with warmer waters this is affecting the ecosystems as well as the animals living there. They have in recent years found large groups of sea urchins eating kelp preventing them from growing. Other challenges include pollution from the coasts as well as habitat loss. Some fisheries are harvesting kelp reducing the habitat. Strong storm events like El Niño are causing more devastation in kelp forests leaving them bare.

What can we do to help? There are many things that can be done. The major thing is to help with climate change. It is important that ocean warming does not continue. Supporting petitions that help this cause is important. Locally, if you are a freediver or scuba diver you can help remove sea urchins in kelp forests. It will also take management to reduce pollution in these areas as well as policy and laws that reduce the harmful destructive practices of kelp harvesting.

I for one do not want my future children not to witness adorable sea otters in these magnificent marine ecosystems. I mean can you imagine a world with no cute sea otters? I can’t! Let me know friend what is something new you learned from today’s blog?