On this International Day of Forests, let’s recognize the seaweed "trees" beneath the seas!
Dense forests of giant kelp weave a labyrinth of underwater habitats within Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. This amazing autotroph grows to enormous lengths and is the largest marine algae in the world. Kelp forest ecosystems are some of the most biodiverse areas of the ocean, providing shelter, food, and protection to an array of marine species.
Climate change, pollution, commercial harvesting, and overgrazing by animals like urchins are threatening the stability of these environments.
(Image Description: Vibrant green and yellow blades of kelp drape from their stems. A round bulb is at the base of each blade within the emerald green water. Photo: Claire Fackler/NOAA)
