Giant Kelp

Giant Kelp is the most common species in creating dense kelp forest for animals to thrive in. Giant kelp is a type of brown algae that can grow an incredible 50 cm per day under ideal conditions, only limited by nitrogen and light. It can grow as deep as 99 feet and shallow as 1 foot. The kelp anchors to the seafloor with a root called holdfast attached to rocks, while air filled pouches called pneumatocysts at the blade tips helps it float toward sunlight, forming those dense kelp forests. Kelp forests make about 70 to 80% of the oxygen in our atmosphere and provide breeding grounds and shelter for a diversity of marine creatures.