1The Giants of the Deep
While we usually think of forests growing on land, some of the most spectacular forests on Earth are hidden beneath the waves! These are kelp forests, and they are made of a type of brown algae called giant kelp. Unlike the trees in your backyard, kelp doesn't have a trunk or branches. Instead, it has long, flowing ribbons called fronds. These amazing organisms can reach heights of up to 60 meters (nearly 200 feet), which is taller than a 15-story building! Because they grow so close together, they create a thick canopy that shades the ocean floor, just like the leaves in a rainforest.
2A Bustling Underwater City
Kelp forests are one of the most productive ecosystems on our planet. They act like a massive apartment building for sea life. High up in the canopy, you might find sea otters wrapping themselves in kelp fronds to keep from drifting away while they nap. In the middle sections, schools of bright orange Garibaldi fish and sleek sea lions dart through the shadows. Down at the bottom, colorful sea stars, crabs, and spiny sea urchins crawl among the rocks. Sea otters are especially important because they eat the sea urchins; without otters, the urchins would eat the kelp too quickly and destroy the whole forest!
3Super Fast Growth and Survival
To survive in the moving ocean, kelp has developed some incredible features. Instead of roots that soak up water, kelp has a 'holdfast' which looks like a bundle of tangled spaghetti. This holdfast grips tightly onto rocks to withstand strong waves and currents. To reach the sunlight they need for energy, kelp grows at a record-breaking pace—up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) every single day! They also have special gas-filled bulbs called pneumatocysts at the base of their leaves. These work like tiny life jackets, pulling the fronds upward so they can soak up as much golden sunshine as possible near the surface.
