Kelp Communities

Brown

Type of macroalgae kelp falls under

cold

type of temperatures kelp like

el nino

warmer waters lead to kelp dying

la nina

colder waters lead to kelp thriving

hard bottom

communities that kelp are found in

canopy

top vertical zone where kelp floats on the surface and blocks out some sunlight

understory

middle vertical zone that holds less dense blades and shorter species

algal turf

lower vertical one that had short clumpy algae

inshore

shallowest horizontal zone with the most wave action

middle

middle horizontal zone where the kelp that create the canopy would start tot develop (kelp canopy zone)

offshore

deepest horizontal zone where most taller kelp are found

fragile but can regenerate blades and holdfasts

cons and adaptations to being a tall kelp

deeper water

least stressful kelp depth as it has the least wave action

kelp bed

dense patches of kelp that doesn’t reach the surface and create a canopy

kelp forest

patch of kelp that creates a canopy

grazing

biggest stressors to kelp

sea urchins

What takes over if the sea otter, the top predator, is killed off in a kelp community

tough tissues and blade generation

kelp adaptations to grazing

GIS

software used to make maps of seagrass coverage

it allows for new species to move in

why. is seasonal kelp productive?

continued predetation

what allows the new seasonal organisms to thrive while not taking over and actually increase biodiversity

top-down

predators regulate the lower trophic levels

bottom-up

resource availability effect the lowest trophic levels which then cascade into the higher levels

detritus

main food/nutrient thing for kelp communities

phytoplankton and seaweeds

primary producers of kelp communities (two)