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- Kelp Forests are underwater ecosystems formed in shallow water by the dense growth of several different species known as kelps.
- Though they look very much like plants, kelps are actually extremely large brown algae.
- Some species can reach heights (underwater) of 150 feet (45 m), and under ideal physical conditions, kelp can grow 18 inches (45 cm) in a single day
- As a result of this incredible growth, kelp forests can develop very quickly in areas that they did not previously exist.
- Research published today into the state of kelp forests around the world shows they are being degraded into flat seascapes carpeted by short, unwanted turf-algae – and the Western Australian coastline is one of the worstaffected areas
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- .It is the first time scientists have assessed the global extent of the transformation
- The research, is published in the leading journal BioScience.
- The underlying drivers vary from place to place but humans are the root cause. This is all comes back to how people affect the global and local environment,”
- Most worryingly, these critical transitions can be very difficult to halt or reverse because climate change is pushing more and more kelp forests over the tipping point for collapse.”
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- some of the worst affected areas included Western Australia, southern Norway and Atlantic Canada.
- “Climate-driven marine heat waves, strong storms, expanding tropical herbivores, gradual warming temperatures, invasive species and nutrient pollution are some of drivers shifting kelp forests into degraded turf reefs,” • The problem is, kelps thrive in cool water and ocean warming is stressing them, lowering their capacity to resist the many pressures they are facing.”
- the socio-economic as well as ecological consequences of this global deforestation could be devastating.
- “Kelp forests support ecosystem services such as biodiversity and fisheries resources worth up to almost $1 million per kilometre of coastline per year.
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