Kelp forests – the rainforests of the sea
seaweed and kelp. Tangle, sugar kelp and oarweed are among the kelp species usually found in Norway. These algae normally grow to between 1 and 3 m in length.
You can find kelp forests on hard bottoms along the entire Norwegian coastline. The kelp forest stretches from shallow waters and down as far as the sunlight reaches (15-30 m). Algae are photosynthesizing the same way as land-dwelling green plants, and thus they are dependent on the sunlight to live and produce oxygen. More than 40% of the Earth’s oxygen are in fact produced by algae!
Photo: Kjell Magnus Norderhaug.
Kelp forests are teeming with life and are therefore known as “the rainforests of the sea”. Fish, starfish, sea urchins, crabs, snails, mussels, amphipods and moss animals are among the creatures that call the kelp forests home. These animals create complex food networks that are essential for life in the ocean.
Kelp forests also have commercial value. Humans reap kelp forests to produce for example alginates. This in turn is used as a thickener and binder in paint and soft serve ice cream.
