Data Loading...
ForestsUnderTheSea_Reader_lores Flipbook PDF
ForestsUnderTheSea_Reader_lores
106 Views
1 Downloads
FLIP PDF 997.52KB
Forests Under the Sea
Look out across the surface of the ocean. Would you believe there is a forest beneath the waves?
1
See these floating plant parts? They are the top of a forest that grows from the ocean floor. The top layer of a forest is called the canopy.
2
The forest is the kelp forest. 3
What is a kelp forest? In many ways, a kelp forest is like other forests.
Like a forest on land, kelp forests cover a large area. Tall plants grow close together. But the kelp forest is not a group of trees. It is a group of plants called giant kelp. 4
Instead of living on land, giant kelp live underwater.
Giant kelp live along rocky coastlines where the water is cool and clear. Light is necessary for plant growth. Kelp cannot grow if the water is too murky or too deep.
5
Kelp forests are some of the most diverse habitats in the world. They are a home for many organisms. 6
Organisms live in the kelp forest because they can find what they need to live and grow.
Schools of fish find shelter in the leaves of the kelp. As they move around they eat small animals that live in the water.
Jellyfish also find food around the kelp’s leaves. 7
Crabs eat the kelp itself. So do many other animals, such as sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, shrimp, and lobster. If you’re lucky you might be able to see one of these animals when you visit the kelp forest.
Here are some sea stars near a kelp forest. 8
Animals that share a habitat have a relationship with each other. Some animals that live in the kelp forest depend on each other for food, protection, shelter, and survival.
One important relationship is the one between the sea otter and the sea urchin. Sea urchins are small spiky creatures that can play a threatening role in the kelp forest.
9
They are known to eat the roots of new plants. This makes it difficult for new plants to grow. If there are too many sea urchins, all the kelp roots might be eaten.
10
This photo shows kelp roots that have been eaten. Once they are gone, the kelp will not grow. The bottom of the sea looks like an underwater desert. But when the sea urchins are gone, the kelp sends up new growth.
11
It’s a good thing that sea otters love to eat sea urchins. With their sleek bodies, otters dive under the water to find them.
Once they find an urchin, they grab it with their front paws and swim to the surface. When they are ready to eat, the otters wrap themselves up in the kelp to enjoy their meal. 12
When there are enough sea otters they keep the number of sea urchins low. This helps the kelp forest to grow. It continues to be a home for sea otters and for sea urchins.
13
Like all forests, kelp forests change. For example, big storms can tear the kelp from their roots. Loose kelp plants drift in the ocean and wash up on shore.
You may even see a big ball of kelp forest when walking along the beach. Dig around and see what you can find living in there.
14
Credits Page 1: shutterstock.com, Dan Schreiber. Page 2: (top) shutterstock.com, Sean Lema; (bottom) shutterstock.com, Eydfinnur. Page 3: shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels. Page 4: shutterstock.com, imageZebra. Page 5: (top) shutterstock.com, Robert Bohrer; (bottom) shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels. Page 6: (top left) shutterstock.com, Alex Edmonds; (top right) shutterstock.com, Heather A. Craig; (middle left) shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels; (middle right) shutterstock.com, Greg Amptman; (bottom) shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels. Page 7: (top) shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels; (bottom) shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels. Page 8: (top) shutterstock.com, Denis Radovanovic; (bottom) shutterstock.com, Ethan Daniels. Page 9: shutterstock.com, Vilainecrevette. Page 9: shutterstock.com, Vilainecrevette. Page 10: Unknown. Page 11: shutterstock.com, vig64. Page 12: (top) shutterstock.com, Krzysztof Wiktor; (bottom) shutterstock.com, Ryan M. Bolton. Page 13: shutterstock.com, Dan Schreiber. Page 14: shutterstock.com, Deborah Kolb.
Copyright © 2020 The University of Chicago All Rights Reserved A UChicago STEM Education product