Kelp Forest
켈프숲
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<speciesfyi-glossary slug="kelp-forest"></speciesfyi-glossary>Definition
Underwater ecosystems dominated by dense stands of large brown algae, providing habitat for diverse marine life.
Detailed Explanation
Kelp forests along the Pacific coasts of North America, South Africa, and southern Australia rival tropical rainforests in productivity and structural complexity. Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) can grow 60 cm per day under ideal conditions. Sea otters, by controlling sea urchin populations, are keystone species maintaining kelp forest integrity. Ocean warming and urchin barrens — formed when urchin populations explode — are driving kelp forest decline globally.