The beauty of the monastery kelp forest |
We get by with the help of our fronds! Sea-riously! A new study by Monterey Bay Aquarium scientists found that denser kelp forests can better handle serious stressors like sweltering seawaters!
The study looked at kelp forests before, during, and after an extreme marine heatwave that hit west coast waters from 2014-2016. It found that denser and more sheltered forests, and the animals living in these forests, fared better against the extreme heat. These persistent forests were also able to keep hungry sea urchins from roaming around the reef and gobbling up the remaining kelp.
Another Aquarium study showed a certain species supports strong kelp forests by snacking on sea urchins — you guessed it — sea otters!
You can dive deeper into this research at: https://mbayaq.co/3VMC9Yg
Healthy kelp forests not only provide homes for a wide range of marine life — they also absorb carbon dioxide — naturally pushing back against climate change (hurray photosynthesis!).
Globally, kelp has been declining for a half-century and warming ocean temperatures present a serious threat to cold-water species like kelp.
Studies like these help us understand what makes kelp forests strong, and how we can implement restoration efforts in areas with less kelp coverage.
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