A common seaweed kelp
Kelp is a common sight in the seas around the world, and is used in various Korean recipes as very high in nutritional value, however is rising sea temperature could be threatening its very existence.
Frank Hurd is a marine biologist, and a member of the environmental organisation, Nature Conservancy. He recently enjoyed diving at Anacapa Island, where there is an abundance of sea kelp forest. The location is a protected island archipelago off the coast of southern California.
As mentioned previously, kelp sights are very common across the globe along every coast in the world, some are well charted and known to scientists and marine biologists, while others are situated in deeper waters yet to be discovered.
Due to the difficulty of mapping ocean depths with satellites, it’s yet very difficult to map its exact location with such technology. Seaweed kelp forests are much more extensive than was first thought, however.
An international research team of scientists hailing from eight countries around the globe led by an Australian researcher, Dr. Albert from the University of Western Australia have been sifting through hundreds of studies of ocean forests to model them more extensively.
Their conclusions were that underwater forests can cover around 7.2 sq kms, which is huge. It equates roughly to the size of the Amazon rainforest basin, and double the size of India.
Seaweed forests ecosystem act as a buffer between us and the climate crisis
Seaweed forests can perform the vital task of absorbing Carbon Dioxide, from both seawater and the atmosphere itself. Studies suggest that such ocean forests can store the same amount of carbon as the Amazon rainforest.
There is still a lot we need to comprehend however regarding the long term ability of seaweed to store carbon, and it is more puzzling because the seaweed actually lacks root system that could be used to lock the carbon into the ground.
There is still much scientific database about the effectiveness of seaweed in storing the carbon element. One of the study’s 10 authors, Dr Karen said that the research is a major step forwards understanding the possible advantages that seaweed can have in mitigating climate change.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220824103023.htm
And it will help calculate productivity in terms of growth and carbon uptake of this large marine vegetative ecosystem.
In Australia, kelp is home to the weedy sea dragon, purple in colour with leaf-like appendages, that appear very similar to that of kelp. This habitat is unique to this weedy sea dragon and cannot be found in any other localities.
In comparison North America’s Pacific coast kelp forests are homes to a variety of sea otters, and grey whales can use kelp forests as a hiding place from predatory species such as killer whales, and as a vital feeding grounds during their migration periods.
Seaweed forests as nutritious and sustainable food
It’s also thought kelp forests can play a greater role in alleviating the food crisis in the world due to the fact that they can grow so fast. Hundreds of studies have been combed by scientists relating to seaweed growth that had been measured by scuba divers.
The study found that ocean forests were more productive than conventional farming methods on dry land. It had defined productivity as the amount of biomass that was produced by crops and seaweed.
It was noted that ocean forests in temperate regions were able to produce between two and eleven times more biomass than intensely farmed crops. This incredible growth rate can be harnessed as part of the human food chain, as the food is so nutritious, and highly sustainable.
Far east Asian countries and Wales have been eating seaweed foods for centuries, and now it’s slowly appearing to be more mainstream in western cuisine too with many types of snacks and salad ranges being produced to stock in supermarkets.
Amanda Swinimer is a marine biologist who owns a company called Dakini Tidal Wilds which harvests seaweed for food. She admits food security is becoming more of an issue and said:
“Although there is evidence of seaweed being consumed as food 14,500 years ago, it has not been a part of the diet for large swaths of the world’ population. People are looking for other sources of nutritious food. If harvested properly, seaweeds have the potential to be a very sustainable and nutrient-dense food source.”
Kelp decline in global warming
It seems however that these vast underwater forests are also under a threat of their own with rising sea temperatures, and man made sea pollution which can contaminate and kill off the vegetation.
In northern California along the coast the exploding population of sea urchins has literally decimated kelp forests by 95% in that area, caused by ecological imbalances caused by water warming.
Similar decline are being witnessed in Australian waters along their coastal lines, and the North Atlantic coastlines of Maine, Greenland and Canada. too.
Marine biologists want to understand more about these vital and fragile ecosystems to lead to more protection and restoration. Meanwhile in California, Hurd continues to dive among kelp forests, and hopes wholeheartedly that their decline can be stemmed, or stopped completely.
He considers that loss of these fragile ecosystems to be devastating for both nature and humans alike. Science is making a concerted effort to track such kelp forests, in order to understand more clearly their impact on fighting climate change.
The one thing that kelp in particular should never be underestimated for is the productivity and biodiversity it supports around the world. It should be protected and restored with a great sense of urgency.
Sources: science daily, the guardian
