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.
Due to the international fur trade, otters were hunted almost to extinction except for a small population that survived along the Central California coast, allowing the kelp to thrive there. This data could provide valuable input for future sustainability work in our oceans.
Kelp forests are a critical part of ecosystems that are home to fish and other marine life that are part of our food supply. The seaweed also reduces soil erosion on land and creates a buffer for rough seas caused by storms.
California sea otters help these underwater forests thrive, and they generate money and jobs through tourism and recreation. Increasing otter populations as a natural method to promote kelp conservation serves as a way to help the economy and keep humans safer by securing a food source and lessening the impact of extreme weather events on our coasts.
Kelp also provides important biodiversity in our oceans and functions as a prominent source for carbon storage. Kyle Van Houtan, lead researcher on the study, advised that human activity can directly affect kelp forests, "and that can have an impact which cascades through the ecosystem."
Conservation efforts help curb the impact of our planet's rising temperatures. Actions like helping an endangered species recover, restoring ecosystems, and increasing otter populations so kelp forests can thrive all move us toward a cleaner, safer future.
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