Kelp forests are one of the ocean’s most important habitats, for they play an integral role in the birth and life of many different creatures. Within their fronds lies a source of nutrition, protection from predators, and a safe place to hatch the next generation of a species. Typically found in cold, nutrient-dense waters, kelp forests play host to a wonderful and interesting assortment of creatures.
The species of marine creatures that live within the kelp forests are separated by the part of the plant they reside in. 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. Kelp is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, with some species at an rate of more than one foot per day, and can reach an impressive height of 100-260 feet! Here are just some of the creatures that you’d likely see during a dive through a kelp forest.
