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Neritic Zone
Kelp Forest
Underwater forests of giant kelp - among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, along temperate rocky coasts.
Depth: 2-40m Light: Sunlight Temp: 5-20
📖 Overview
Kelp forests are the underwater equivalent of terrestrial rainforests. Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) can grow 60cm per day, forming submarine canopies up to 45m tall. Sea otters, sea urchins, and hundreds of fish species inhabit them. When otter populations decline, urchin explosions can create devastating urchin barrens.