Kelp forest facts for kids
Kelp forests are special underwater places. They are like giant forests on land, but they grow in the ocean! These amazing places are made of huge plants called kelp. Kelp can grow super tall, sometimes over 200 feet (60 meters) from the sea floor all the way to the water's surface.
These underwater forests are home to many different kinds of fish and other sea creatures like invertebrates (animals without backbones). Big visitors like whales, sea lions, and sea otters also love to visit kelp forests. Even humans enjoy exploring them by SCUBA diving.
You can find kelp forests in cool and cold coastal waters around the world. In 2007, some were even found in warmer waters near Ecuador. Kelp forests are very important for the ocean. They provide homes and food for many animals.
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Where Kelp Forests Grow
Kelp forests grow in cool ocean waters around the world. They need clear water that is usually between 4 and 20 degrees Celsius. Different types of kelp like slightly different temperatures. But none of them can grow in water that is always warm.
These forests are usually found in water that is 1 to 24 meters deep. Sometimes, during very low tides, the tops of the kelp can even stick out of the water. The water needs to be clear so that enough sunlight can reach the bottom. Sunlight is important for kelp to grow.
Kelp forests also need water with lots of nutrients. They need moderate water movement from waves or currents. And they need a hard surface on the sea floor to attach to.
You can find large kelp forests in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. They grow along the coasts of western Europe, northeast Asia, and western North America. This includes areas from southern California to Alaska. You can also find them off the coasts of South Africa, southern Australia, and the west coast of South America.
Understanding Kelp Plants
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Kelp plants have special parts that help them grow and form a forest. These parts are:
- The holdfast is like a root system. It holds the kelp plant firmly to the sea floor or another hard surface.
- The stipe is a long, thin stalk. It grows straight up from the holdfast towards the water's surface.
- The fronds are like leaves. There are many of them, and they attach to the stipe. This is where the kelp makes its food using sunlight.
Many kelp plants also have pneumatocysts. These are small air bladders. They are found along the stipe or at the bottom of the fronds. These air bladders help the kelp stand up straight in the water.
Kelp usually grows all the way to the surface. It can even keep growing longer after reaching the surface. This creates a thick layer of floating fronds called a canopy. This dense structure, with its canopy, creates different areas in the water. It's like a forest on land with a sunny top, a partly shaded middle, and a dark floor. Each of these areas provides different homes for many types of animals and other plants.
Kelp's Amazing Growth Cycle
Kelp grows incredibly fast! In perfect conditions, Giant kelp can grow 30 to 60 centimeters (about 1 to 2 feet) taller every single day. This means kelp forests can become "grown-up" very quickly. This is much faster than forests on land, which can take hundreds of years to grow fully.
Some types of kelp live for only one year. These are like annual plants on land. Other types can live for up to seven years. These are like perennial plants. In kelp forests that live for many years, you'll see the most growth during spring and summer. Then, some of the kelp might die back during the winter.
Winter storms can also affect kelp growth. Strong storms can tear holes in the kelp canopy. They can also break off fronds or even pull entire kelp plants from the sea floor. This actually helps! It lets sunlight reach deeper water. It also creates open spaces where new kelp plants can start to grow.
Animals Living in Kelp Forests
Kelp forests are bustling with life! Many different animals call these underwater forests home.
Fish and Other Sea Creatures
You can find many types of fish swimming among the kelp. These include sea bass, Swell sharks, Angel sharks, and Horn sharks. Many smaller fish also hide and hunt in the kelp. Besides fish, many invertebrates live here. These include lobsters and abalone.
Marine Mammal Visitors
Larger marine mammals also visit kelp forests. Harbor seals, sea otters, and Sea lions often swim and hunt in these areas. Sea otters are especially important because they eat sea urchins. Sea urchins can damage kelp by eating its holdfasts.
How Humans Use Kelp Forests
Kelp forests have been important to people for thousands of years. Today, they are still very useful.
Many fisheries (places where people catch fish) depend on kelp forests. People catch species like lobster and rockfish that live in these areas. Humans also harvest kelp directly. They use it to feed animals raised in aquaculture (like farming in the ocean), such as abalone.
Kelp is also used to get a special ingredient called alginic acid. This acid is used in many everyday products. You might find it in toothpaste or antacids (medicine for upset stomachs).
Kelp forests are also popular for fun activities. People love to go SCUBA diving and kayaking in these beautiful underwater worlds.
Images for kids
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Global distribution of kelp forests -
A kelp forest off of the coast of Anacapa Island, California
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Giant kelp uses gas-filled floats to keep the plant suspended, allowing the kelp blades near the ocean surface to capture light for photosynthesis.
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Sea urchins like this purple sea urchin can damage kelp forests by chewing through kelp holdfasts
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The nudibranch Melibe leonina on a Macrocystis frond (California): Marine protected areas are one way to guard kelp forests as an ecosystem.
See also
In Spanish: Bosque de algas para niños
