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25-02-2021
Column: Nature Notes - KELP FORESTS
Column: Nature Notes - KELP FORESTS
In ideal conditions where water is cold and rich in nutrients, kelp can grow to significant heights of up to
80 metres and also can grow very rapidly up to 45 cm in a single day.
Kelp superficially resemble plants but are actually a form of algae. Kelp absorbs nutrients through all parts of its tissues and unlike plants, does not have a vascular system. There are around 30 species of kelp, and a variety of kelp species may be found within one forest.
Kelp is anchored to the seafloor by a holdfast, stemlike structure called a stipe. Stipes are flexible, allowing the kelp to sway with ocean movements; leaf-like structures called blades grow from the stipes; gas filled bladders (pneumatocysts) provide buoyancy to keep the blades exposed to sunlight. Kelp forests are restricted to shallow, relatively clear, coastal waters to facilitate photosynthesis - this process uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide to sugar which can be used for energy, with oxygen produced as a by product.

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