Experts stunned by discovery in kelp forest decades after studying lives of sea otters: 'An impact which cascades throug

[Judi Lynn]

Experts stunned by discovery in kelp forest decades after studying lives of sea otters: 'An impact which cascades through the ecosystem'

Jenna Reilly
Sat, July 27, 2024 at 4:30 AM CDT·2 min read



Researchers examining a century of ocean maps made an exciting discovery linking sea otter populations to kelp forests: Where sea otters thrive, so do these critical underwater habitats.

The research findings, published in PLOS Climate, indicate that a dense otter population helps kelp forests grow even in spite of environmental threats. According to an article in Smithsonian Magazine, this correlation is due largely to otters' eating habits.

Sea otters have a high metabolism, which causes them to eat about a quarter of their weight in food every day. One of their favorite dishes happens to be sea urchins, which feed on kelp. Otters control the sea urchin population, stopping them from destroying the kelp forests.

After researchers examined kelp maps from the California coast spanning about 100 years, they noticed that while the Northern coast saw a 63% kelp decline and the Southern coast experienced a 52% decline, the Central California coast had a 58% increase. The researchers determined that the main cause for the kelp thriving was sea otters.

More:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/experts-stunned-discovery-kelp-forest-093000516.html