Why Is Kelp Forest Important To Marine Environment

Forests of the Ocean

Under the different shades of blue ocean waves, through rays of sunlight, blades of green and brown sway with the water currents, these blades of green and brown belong to a type of tree; an underwater tree that belongs to an underwater forest. Like forests on land, these forests of the ocean grow tall, absorb sunlight, experience seasonal changes, and provide oxygen. Yet these forests are not forests of trees yet forests of kelp. The kelp forests are dense groupings of kelp that form rich underwater ecosystems that a great variety of species depend on, including humans, yet many do not take importance on these endangered forests of the ocean which is why an explanation that illustrates the description, importance, and the threats that kelp forests go through will be given. Kelp forests are important marine ecosystems that thousands of marine species depend on and also serve many important environmental and economic purposes that benefit people, which is why kelp forest’s threats and conservation should be taken seriously.

Before moving on to the importance of kelp forests and the threats that endanger them, it is important to know what are kelp forests. Kelp is a

Invasive sea urchins, a herbivore that feeds on kelp, are another factor that eats kelp right after it grows eradicating the opportunity for kelp to survive. Changing ocean conditions such as temperature rising and climate change are another important factor that has a negative effect on kelp, which prefers cooler waters, kelp forests located in hot global spots may move to deeper waters where their access to sunlight would be limited. Pollution, litter, and sewage dumped are the last factors that leave kelp forests damaged and deforested along with most of the biological