Term
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Definition
- No.1 on Cali Coast
- Macrocystis Pyrifera dominates high production (.5/m a day)
- basis of entire community
- (reference picture in notes)
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Term
| Biology of Macrocystis Pyrifera |
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Definition
- found on rocky bottoms, to about 20m
- Cold eutrophic water, coastal upwelling
- nutrient absorbed by blades
- slime keeps blades from sticking together
- blades along stipe= lots of drag
- stipes fragile, fronds break and float at surface
- drift kelp, alive and growing (a whole community)
- provides shelter for animals
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Term
| Biology of Macrosystis Pyrifera cont. |
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Definition
- complex life cycle, large saprophyte
- microscopic male/female gametophytes
- considered a perennial, sometimes annual
- depends on winter storm action.
- encrusting bryozoan grows on blades
- increase in drage causes increase in storm damage
- decrease in light absorbs causes slow growth
- canopy, fronds, blades flooring on surface
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Term
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Definition
- Fast growth up to 0.5m/day
- requires high nutrients
- confined to temperate waters
- Gulf of Oman (warm, eutrophic)= kelps and corals
- Eutrophic= nutrient rich
- Oligotrpohic= nutrient poor
- "Anti-tropical" distribution, cold euphotic waters
- N. Pacific. Macrocystis from Japan to Aleutians to Baja
- more macrocystis in Monterey than Santa Cruz. granite bottom vs. shale and it's colder in Monterey
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Term
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Definition
- pacific coast of N. America
- Spring and early summer, strong NW winds
- drag water southward
- Coriolis effect leads to Ekman transport (away from coast)
- water from depth replaces surface water
- cold nutrient rich water from deep because detritus sinks, less photosynthesis
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Term
| Kelp cycle in Monetery Bay |
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Definition
- storm rip up kelp
- drift kelp floats out over canyon
- sinks in canyon to decay
- spring upwelling returns nutrients to surface
- kelp growth
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Term
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Definition
- Warming of surface in E. Pacific
- upwelling subside
- comes about every 3-7 years
- kelps decline, especially in southern point of distribution
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Term
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Definition
- distinct layers, like terrestrial forest
- canopy: floating blades and stipes analagous to redwood trees (Macrocystis, Nereocystis)
- understory: shaded by canopy; low light analogous to ferns, rhodunderons
- algal turf: coralin algae, short clumps, filaments
- (reference drawing in notes!)
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Term
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Definition
- Bull kelp. replaces Macrocystis where water is very rough, theres not as much drag on the thallus. blades not along entire stipe. Considered an annual. Vulnerable to over-harvesting
- Elk Kelp. up to 20m blades. can be a canopy kelp
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Term
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Definition
- Animals on stipes, fronds (isopods, bryozoan, hooded nudibrachs (melabys) snails that live on kelp and eat it
- Animals in holdfast: brittle stars, peanut worms, crabs, snails, bivalves etc.
- Kelp eaters: abalone, sea urchins
- Kelp forest fishes. canopy dwelling fishes: rockfishes surf perches, greenlings, kelpfishes
- Plankton- feeders near kelp: anchovies, top smelts, surfperches
- Fishes among fronds: 100 species of rockfish. 75 in central cali, kelp bass, sheephead, garibaldi(state fish of cali)
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Term
| Sea Otters and Kelp Forests |
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Definition
- otters are a keystone species of kelp forests
- keystone species: relatively rare, disproportionately large effect on community structure.
- the urchins that eat the kelp, otters eat the urchins that eat kelp. (population control)
- if otters are hunted too much no urchin predation, kelp forests are eaten
- reintroduction of otters=urchin pop. controlled= kelp forests flourish
- New Players: orcas. humans hunt pollack (prey of sea lions) fewer sea lions= less food for orcas= orcas feed on sea otters which are too small and lack blubber.
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