The Alaskan Kelp forest provides shelter and food to many under water creatures. The holdfast (the part of the kelp that anchors it to its location) is comprised of tangled roots, which makes a wonderful habitat for octopus, crustaceans, and urchins, while the higher reaches of the plant are preferred by several kinds of fishes for protection from the sea. Asked by Wiki User. Many species or kinds of fish eat kelp. Kelp forests are remarkable places: not only are they immensely beautiful and home to a startling array of wildlife, they are also highly productive and of considerable economic importance. In addition, kelp often forms dense “forests” where fish can hide from their predators. Kelp forests are home to many different species, including fish, sea urchins and other marine animals, invertebrates, such as snails, and sea otters. For part of their lifetime, kelp forests in Alaska are home to 20 or more species of fish, who are attracted to the kelp by the food supply. Kelp Forests are underwater ecosystems formed in shallow water by the dense growth of several different species known as kelps. The giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) moves into the kelp forests to breed. Kelp Forests. Invertebrates that eat kelp include snails and shellfish such as crabs, sea urchins and abalone. Kelp Forests are forests, however, not with trees, with giant seaweed. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in California is home to a population of more than 100 sea otters. Three major varieties of octopi have been known to reside within kelp forests: Enteroctopus dofleini, known more commonly as the Giant or North Pacific octopus lives for three to five years and can weigh up to 33 pounds; Octopus rubescens, commonly known as the ‘ruby’ octopus to distinguish itself from several species known as ‘red octopi’; and Octopus bimaculoides, known as ‘bimac’ or the California two-spot octopus due to its blue-ringed eye spots. Discover an underwater forest — at 28 feet, the Kelp Forest is one of the tallest aquarium exhibits in the world. The Circle of Life The term "trophic process" describes exactly how the kelp forests function as a vital underwater ecosystem. There are also many birds that live on the animals they find among the kelp – starlings, crows, phoebes, herons and terns feed on the crustaceans and the flies they find in and above kelp forests. Many organisms actually live inside the kelp plant! 3 4 5. Kelp forests offer lots of nooks and crannies and surfaces to settle on, making them rich in wildlife. The kelp forest’s salinity is so high that kelp is often sold as a substitute for salt. The draughtboard shark (Cephaloscyllium laticeps) cruises between kelp plants feeding on shellfish, sea urchins and crustaceans that live beneath the kelp canopy. A host of invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, and birds exist in kelp forest environs. Author: NOAA
An essential introduction to this hidden kingdom.Discover the variety of plants and animals which live in the ‘forests’, find out why kelp forests are so Animals live on all giant kelp parts. (Invertebrates are animals without backbones.) Invertebrates that eat kelp include snails and shellfish such as … Kelp is also eaten by a lot of invertebrate species. While the diversity of plants and animals in giant kelp forests is large, little is known about the plankton and decomposers in the water. They feed on mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, fish, and fish eggs found along the bottom. Tags: Question 2 . And find the species you see in the tanks on our new iPads to learn more about them! Sea urchins are among the most prevalent herbivorous marine animals of the kelp forest. Sea lions also serve as a means of maintaining the population of the next creature on this list. Kelp is also eaten by a lot of invertebrate species. (Invertebrates are animals without backbones.) The grey whale will eat the abundant invertebrates and crustaceans in kelp forests. Herbivores and omnivores that live in tropical rain forests include the african forest elephant, sumatran rhinoceros, chimpanzee, golden lion tamarin and linn's sloth. Temperature: Kelp forest temp range ranges from 42-72 degrees Fahrenheit; Salinity: The salinity is very high in the Kelp Forest area. Read more about these kelp forest residents. Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp, ... the intertropical regions. The rock lobster is the only animal on Tasmanian reefs that feeds on the invasive long-spined sea urchin (pictured in crevice). Foster and Schiel (1985) report that kelp provides three distinct habitats used by birds: the kelp forest made up of living attached plants associated with rocky substrata, drift kelp floating in the open sea, and the kelp wrack, i.e. Over 1,000 species of marine plants and animals can be found within Channel Islands kelp forests. Grey whales have also been observed in kelp forests, most likely using the forest as a safe haven from the predatory killer whale. Outside the holdfasts, sponges, tunicates, anemones, cup corals and bryozoans are probably the most commonly occurring sessile animals within kelp forests (Foster and Schiel 1985; Table 1). Like trees of the rainforest, kelp forests support a dynamic range of animals found at the very bottom, and in layers all the way to the top canopy. Food Chain: Human Interaction with Kelp Forests: FAQ's: Pictures: Works Cited: Many animals find habitat amongst the depths of Kelp Forests. According to one book in my library, The Amber Forest, more than 175 species live in holdfasts, including the juveniles of many fish. Answer. In the crevases and under boulders Abalone and Urchins come out at night and eat Algae they scrape off the rocks. Sea lions and seals feed on the fish that live in kelp forests. 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