Kelps are large

brown algae Brown algae (singular: alga), comprising the class Phaeophyceae, are a large group of multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder waters within the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the temperate an ...

seaweed Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of ''Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ke ...

s that make up the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Laminariales. There are about 30 different

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial ...

. Despite its appearance, kelp is not a

plant Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...

- it is a

heterokont Heterokonts are a group of protists (formally referred to as Heterokonta, Heterokontae or Heterokontophyta). The group is a major line of eukaryotes. Most are algae, ranging from the giant multicellular kelp to the unicellular diatoms, which a ...

, a completely unrelated group of organisms. Kelp grows in "underwater

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s" (

kelp forest Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp, which covers a large part of the world's coastlines. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called kelp beds. They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on E ...

s) in shallow oceans, and is thought to have appeared in the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recent" ...

, 5 to 23 million years ago. The organisms require nutrient-rich water with temperatures between . They are known for their high growth rate—the genera ''

Macrocystis ''Macrocystis'' is a monospecific genus of kelp (large brown algae). This genus contains the largest of all the phaeophyceae or brown algae. ''Macrocystis'' has pneumatocysts at the base of its blades. Sporophytes are perennial and the indiv ...

'' and ''

Nereocystis ''Nereocystis'' (Greek, 'mermaid's bladder') is a monotypic genus of subtidal kelp containing the species ''Nereocystis luetkeana''. Some English names include edible kelp, bull kelp, bullwhip kelp, ribbon kelp, bladder wrack, and variations of ...

'' can grow as fast as half a metre a day, ultimately reaching .Thomas, D. 2002. ''Seaweeds.'' The Natural History Museum, London, p. 15. Through the 19th century, the word "kelp" was closely associated with seaweeds that could be burned to obtain

soda ash Sodium carbonate, , (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3 and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield moderately alkaline solutions ...

(primarily sodium carbonate). The seaweeds used included species from both the orders Laminariales and Fucales. The word "kelp" was also used directly to refer to these processed ashes.

Description

In most kelp, the thallus (or body) consists of flat or leaf-like structures known as blades. Blades originate from elongated stem-like structures, the stipes. The holdfast, a root-like structure, anchors the kelp to the substrate of the ocean. Gas-filled bladders ( pneumatocysts) form at the base of blades of American species, such as ''Nereocystis lueteana,'' (Mert. & Post & Rupr.) to hold the kelp blades close to the surface.

Growth and reproduction

Growth occurs at the base of the

meristem The meristem is a type of tissue found in plants. It consists of undifferentiated cells (meristematic cells) capable of cell division. Cells in the meristem can develop into all the other tissues and organs that occur in plants. These cells conti ...

, where the blades and stipe meet. Growth may be limited by grazing. Sea urchins, for example, can reduce entire areas to urchin barrens. The kelp life cycle involves a

diploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respecti ...

sporophyte and haploid

gametophyte A gametophyte () is one of the two alternation of generations, alternating multicellular organism, multicellular phases in the life cycles of plants and algae. It is a haploid multicellular organism that develops from a haploid spore that has on ...

stage. The haploid phase begins when the mature organism releases many spores, which then germinate to become male or female gametophytes.

Sexual reproduction Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that involves a complex life cycle in which a gamete ( haploid reproductive cells, such as a sperm or egg cell) with a single set of chromosomes combines with another gamete to produce a zygote th ...

then results in the beginning of the diploid sporophyte stage, which will develop into a mature individual. The parenchymatous thalli are generally covered with a mucilage layer, rather than cuticle.

Kelp forests

Kelp may develop dense forests with high production, biodiversity and ecological function. Along the Norwegian coast these forests cover 5800 km², and they support large numbers of animals. Numerous

sessile animals Sessility is the biological property of an organism describing its lack of a means of self-locomotion. Sessile organisms for which natural ''motility'' is absent are normally immobile. This is distinct from the botanical concept of sessility, w ...

(sponges, bryozoans and ascidians) are found on kelp stipes and mobile invertebrate fauna are found in high densities on epiphytic algae on the kelp stipes and on kelp holdfasts. More than 100,000 mobile invertebrates per square meter are found on kelp stipes and holdfasts in well-developed kelp forests (Christie et al., 2003). While larger invertebrates and in particular sea urchins '' Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis'' (O.F. Müller) are important secondary consumers controlling large barren ground areas on the Norwegian coast, they are scarce inside dense kelp forests.

Commercial uses

Giant kelp can be harvested fairly easily because of its surface canopy and growth habit of staying in deeper water. Kelp ash is rich in

iodine Iodine is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol I and atomic number 53. The heaviest of the stable halogens, it exists as a semi-lustrous, non-metallic solid at standard conditions that melts to form a deep violet liquid at , ...

and

alkali In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of ...

. In great amount, kelp ash can be used in

soap Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used ...

and

glass Glass is a non-Crystallinity, crystalline, often transparency and translucency, transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most ...

production. Until the

Leblanc process The Leblanc process (pronounced leh-blaank) was an early industrial process for making ''soda ash'' ( sodium carbonate) used throughout the 19th century, named after its inventor, Nicolas Leblanc. It involved two stages: making sodium sulfate f ...

was commercialized in the early 19th century, burning of kelp in Scotland was one of the principal industrial sources of soda ash (predominantly sodium carbonate). Around 23 tons of seaweed was required to produce 1 ton of kelp ash. The kelp ash would consist of around 5% sodium carbonate. Once the

Leblanc Process The Leblanc process (pronounced leh-blaank) was an early industrial process for making ''soda ash'' ( sodium carbonate) used throughout the 19th century, named after its inventor, Nicolas Leblanc. It involved two stages: making sodium sulfate f ...

became commercially viable in Britain during the 1820s, common salt replaced kelp ash as raw material for sodium carbonate. Though the price of kelp ash went into steep decline, seaweed remained the only commercial source of iodine. To supply the new industry in iodine synthesis, kelp ash production continued in some parts of West and North Scotland, North West Ireland and Guernsey. The species '' Saccharina latissima'' yielded the greatest amount of iodine (between 10 and 15 lbs per ton) and was most abundant in Guernsey. Iodine was extracted from kelp ash using a

lixiviation Leaching is the process of a solute becoming detached or extracted from its carrier substance by way of a solvent. Leaching is a naturally occurring process which scientists have adapted for a variety of applications with a variety of methods. Sp ...

process. As with sodium carbonate however, mineral sources eventually supplanted seaweed in iodine production. Alginate, a kelp-derived carbohydrate, is used to thicken products such as

ice cream Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as ...

, jelly, salad dressing, and

toothpaste Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth ...

, as well as an ingredient in exotic dog food and in manufactured goods. Alginate powder is also used frequently in general dentistry and orthodontics for making impressions of the upper and lower arches. Kelp polysaccharides are used in skin care as gelling ingredients and because of the benefits provided by '' fucoidan''. Kombu (昆布 in Japanese, and 海带 in Chinese, ''

Saccharina japonica ''Saccharina japonica'' is a marine species of the Phaeophyceae (brown algae) class, a type of kelp or seaweed, which is extensively cultivated on ropes between the seas of China, Japan and Korea. It has the common name sweet kelp. It is wi ...

'' and others), several Pacific species of kelp, is a very important ingredient in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines. Kombu is used to flavor broths and stews (especially ''

dashi is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. ''Dashi'' forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour ...

''), as a savory garnish (''tororo konbu'') for rice and other dishes, as a vegetable, and a primary ingredient in popular snacks (such as '' tsukudani''). Transparent sheets of kelp (''oboro konbu'') are used as an edible decorative wrapping for rice and other foods. Kombu can be used to soften beans during cooking, and to help convert indigestible sugars and thus reduce flatulence. Morskaja-kapusta

In Russia, especially in the

Russian Far East The Russian Far East (russian: Дальний Восток России, r=Dal'niy Vostok Rossii, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in Northeast Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asian continent; and is admin ...

, and former Soviet Union countries several types of kelp are of commercial importance: '' Saccharina latissima'', '' Laminaria digitata'', ''

''. Known locally as "Sea Cabbage" (Морская капуста in Russian), it comes in retail trade in dried or frozen, as well as in canned form and used as filler in different types of salads, soups and pastries. Because of its high concentration of iodine, brown kelp (''

Laminaria ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relat ...

'') has been used to treat

goiter A goitre, American and British English spelling differences#re er, or goiter, is a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid, thyroid gland. A goitre can be associated with a thyroid that is not functioning properly. Worldwide, over ...

, an enlargement of the thyroid gland caused by a lack of iodine, since medieval times. An intake of roughly 150 micrograms of iodine per day is beneficial for preventing hypothyroidism. Overconsumption can lead to kelp-induced thyrotoxicosis. In 2010, researchers found that alginate, the

soluble fibre Dietary fiber (in British English fibre) or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibers are diverse in chemical composition, and can be grouped generally by th ...

substance in sea kelp, was better at preventing fat absorption than most over-the-counter slimming treatments in laboratory trials. As a food additive, it may be used to reduce fat absorption and thus obesity. Kelp in its natural form has not yet been demonstrated to have such effects. Kelp's rich iron content can help prevent iron deficiency.

Commercial production

Commercial production of kelp harvested from its natural habitat has taken place in Japan for over a century. Many countries today produce and consume laminaria products; the largest producer is China. '' Laminaria japonica'', the important commercial seaweed, was first introduced into China in the late 1920s from Hokkaido, Japan. Yet

mariculture Mariculture or marine farming is a specialized branch of aquaculture (which includes freshwater aquaculture) involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other animal products, in enclosed sections of the open ocean ( offshore mar ...

of this alga on a very large commercial scale was realized in China only in the 1950s. Between the 1950s and the 1980s, kelp production in China increased from about 60 to over 250,000 dry weight metric tons annually.

In history and culture

Some of the earliest evidence for human use of marine resources, coming from Middle Stone Age sites in South Africa, includes the harvesting of foods such as

abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any of a group of small to very large marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae. Other common names are ear shells, sea ears, and, rarely, muttonfish or mu ...

, limpets, and

mussels Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which ...

associated with kelp forest habitats. In 2007, Erlandson et al. suggested that

s around the Pacific Rim may have facilitated the dispersal of anatomically modern humans following a coastal route from Northeast Asia to the Americas. This "kelp highway hypothesis" suggested that highly productive kelp forests supported rich and diverse marine food webs in nearshore waters, including many types of fish, shellfish, birds, marine mammals, and seaweeds that were similar from Japan to California, Erlandson and his colleagues also argued that coastal kelp forests reduced wave energy and provided a linear dispersal corridor entirely at sea level, with few obstacles to maritime peoples. Archaeological evidence from California's Channel Islands confirms that islanders were harvesting kelp forest shellfish and fish, beginning as much as 12,000 years ago. During the

Highland Clearances The Highland Clearances ( gd, Fuadaichean nan Gàidheal , the "eviction of the Gaels") were the evictions of a significant number of tenants in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, mostly in two phases from 1750 to 1860. The first phase resul ...

, many Scottish Highlanders were moved on to areas of estates known as crofts, and went to industries such as fishing and kelping (producing soda ash from the ashes of kelp). At least until the 1840s, when there were steep falls in the price of kelp, landlords wanted to create pools of cheap or virtually free labour, supplied by families subsisting in new crofting townships. Kelp collection and processing was a very profitable way of using this labour, and landlords petitioned successfully for legislation designed to stop emigration. The profitability of kelp harvesting meant that landlords began to subdivide their land for small tenant kelpers, who could now afford higher rent than their gentleman farmer counterparts. But the economic collapse of the kelp industry in northern

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...

during the 1820s led to further emigration, especially to North America. Natives of the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubou ...

are sometimes

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

d " Kelpers". This designation is primarily applied by outsiders rather than the natives themselves. In Chinese

slang Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and usage (language), linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of p ...

, "kelp" (), is used to describe an unemployed returnee. It has negative overtones, implying the person is drifting aimlessly, and is also a homophonic expression (, literally "sea waiting"). This expression is contrasted with the employed returnee, having a dynamic ability to travel across the ocean: the "sea turtle" () and is also homophonic with another word (, literally "sea return").

Conservation

Overfishing nearshore ecosystems leads to the degradation of kelp forests. Herbivores are released from their usual population regulation, leading to over-grazing of kelp and other algae. This can quickly result in barren landscapes where only a small number of species can thrive.Dayton, P.K. 1985a. Ecology of kelp communities. ''Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics'' 16: 215-245.Sala, E., C.F. Bourdouresque and M. Harmelin-Vivien. 1998. Fishing, trophic cascades, and the structure of algal assemblages: evaluation of an old but untested paradigm. ''Oikos'' 82: 425-439. Other major factors which threaten kelp include

marine pollution Marine pollution occurs when substances used or spread by humans, such as industrial, agricultural and residential waste, particles, noise, excess carbon dioxide or invasive organisms enter the ocean and cause harmful effects there. The major ...

and the quality of water, climate changes and certain invasive species.

Gallery

File:Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) 01.jpg, Giant kelp in Monterey Bay Aquarium's Kelp Forest exhibit File:Scuba diver in kelp forest.jpg, Scuba diver in kelp forest File:Blue Rockfish in kelp forest.jpg, Blue rockfish in kelp forest File:Anemone and seastar in kelp forest.jpg, Anemone and seastar in kelp forest File:Kelp forest-blue.jpg, An underwater shot of a kelp forest File:KelpforestI2500ppx.JPG, A kelp forest File:CLOSE UP OF ECKLONIA MAXIMA LEAF.jpg, A close up view of '' Ecklonia maxima,'' giant brown kelp File:Kelpwik.jpg, Washed-up kelp found along the coast of La Jolla Shores

Prominent species

* Bull kelp, '' Nereocystis luetkeana'', a northwestern American species. Used by coastal

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

to create

fishing net A fishing net is a Net (device), net used for fishing. Nets are devices made from fibers woven in a grid-like structure. Some fishing nets are also called fish traps, for example #Fyke nets, fyke nets. Fishing nets are usually meshes formed by ...

s. * Giant kelp, ''

Macrocystis pyrifera ''Macrocystis pyrifera'', commonly known as giant kelp or bladder kelp, is a species of kelp (large brown algae), and one of four species in the genus '' Macrocystis''. Despite its appearance, it is not a plant; it is a heterokont. Giant kelp ...

'', the largest seaweed. Found in the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

coast of North America and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

. * Kombu, ''

'' (formerly ''Laminaria japonica'') and others, several edible species of kelp found in Japan. Species of ''Laminaria'' in the British Isles; * '' Laminaria digitata'' (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux (Oarweed; Tangle) * ''

Laminaria hyperborea ''Laminaria hyperborea'' is a species of large brown alga, a kelp in the family Laminariaceae, also known by the common names of tangle and cuvie. It is found in the sublittoral zone of the northern Atlantic Ocean. A variety, ''Laminaria hyper ...

'' (Gunnerus) Foslie (Curvie) * ''

Laminaria ochroleuca ''Laminaria ochroleuca'' is a large kelp, an alga in the order Laminariales.Bunker, F.StP,D., Brodie, J.A., Maggs, C.A. and Bunker, A.R. 2017. ''Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. Second Edition.'' Wild Nature Press, Plymouth, UK. They are commo ...

'' Bachelot de la Pylaie * '' Saccharina latissima'' (Linnaeus) J.V.Lamouroux (sea belt; sugar kelp; sugarwack) Species of ''

'' worldwide, listing of species at

AlgaeBase AlgaeBase is a global species database of information on all groups of algae, both marine and freshwater, as well as sea-grass. History AlgaeBase began in March 1996, founded by Michael Guiry. Text was copied from this source, which is ava ...

: * '' Laminaria agardhii'' (NE.

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...

) * ''

Laminaria bongardina ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relati ...

'' Postels et Ruprecht (Bering Sea to

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

) * ''

Laminaria cuneifolia ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relativ ...

'' (NE. America) * '' Laminaria dentigera'' Klellm. (California - America) * '' Laminaria digitata'' (NE. America) * ''

Laminaria ephemera ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relati ...

'' Setchell (Sitka, Alaska, to Monterey County, California - America) * ''

Laminaria farlowii ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relati ...

'' Setchell (Santa Cruz, California, to Baja California - America) * ''

Laminaria groenlandica ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relativ ...

'' (NE. America) * '' Laminaria longicruris'' (NE. America) * ''

Laminaria nigripes ''Laminaria nigripes'' is a species of kelp found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific within Arctic and subarctic waters including Vancouver Island, Haida Gawaii, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Downeast Maine, and the Bay of Fundy. The speci ...

'' (NE. America) * ''

Laminaria ontermedia ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relati ...

'' (NE. America) * ''

Laminaria pallida ''Laminaria pallida'', the split-fan kelp, is a species of large brown seaweed of the class Phaeophyceae found from Danger Point on the south coast of South Africa to Port Nolloth, Tristan da Cunha and Gough islands in the Atlantic and Île Saint ...

'' Greville ex J. Agardh (

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

) * ''

Laminaria platymeris ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relati ...

'' (NE. America) * ''

Laminaria saccharina ''Saccharina latissima'' is a brown alga (class Phaeophyceae), of the family Laminariaceae. It is known by the common names sugar kelp, sea belt, and Devil's apron, and is one of the species known to Japanese cuisine as kombu. It is found in the ...

'' (Linnaeus) Lamouroux, synonym of '' Saccharina latissima'' (north east Atlantic Ocean, Barents Sea south to Galicia - Spain) * ''

Laminaria setchellii ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relativ ...

'' Silva (Aleutian Islands, Alaska to Baja California America) * ''

Laminaria sinclairii ''Laminaria sinclairii'' is a species of brown algae (class Phaeophyceae), in the family Laminariaceae. It is native to the lower intertidal zone of the northeastern Pacific Ocean from British Columbia southwards to California. Description This ...

'' (Harvey ex Hooker f. ex Harvey) Farlow, Anderson et Eaton (Hope Island, British Columbia to Los Angeles, California - America) * ''

Laminaria solidungula ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relativ ...

'' (NE. America) * ''

Laminaria stenophylla ''Laminaria'' is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relati ...

'' (NE. America) Five-ribbed kelp (Costaria costata)

Other species in the Laminariales that may be considered as kelp: * ''

Alaria esculenta ''Alaria esculenta'' is an edible seaweed, also known as dabberlocks or badderlocks, or winged kelp. It is a traditional food along the coasts of the far north Atlantic Ocean. It may be eaten fresh or cooked in Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and I ...

'' (North Atlantic) * '' Alaria marginata'' Post. & Rupr. (Alaska and California -

) * '' Costaria costata'' (C.Ag.) Saunders (Japan; Alaska, California - America) * '' Ecklonia brevipes'' J. Agardh (Australia; New Zealand) * '' Ecklonia maxima'' (Osbeck) Papenfuss (South Africa) * '' Ecklonia radiata'' (C.Agardh) J. Agardh (Australia; Tasmania; New Zealand; South Africa) * '' Eisenia arborea'' Aresch. (Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Montrey, Santa Catalina Island, California - America) * '' Egregia menziesii'' (Turn.) Aresch. * '' Hedophyllum sessile (C.Ag.) Setch (Alaska, California - America) * ''

'' (Linnaeus, C.Agardh) (Australia; Tasmania and South Africa) * ''

Pleurophycus gardneri ''Pleurophycus gardneri'' is a species of brown alga. It is a deciduous kelp, primarily found in lower, rocky inter-tidal and shallow, rocky sub-tidal locations and is one of the most abundant kelps found within the Pleurophycus Zone (roughly 30- ...

'' Setch. & Saund. (Alaska, California - America) * ''

Pterygophora californica ''Pterygophora californica'' is a large species of kelp, commonly known as stalked kelp. It is the only species in its genus ''Pterygophora'' (Ruprecht, 1852). It grows in shallow water on the Pacific coast of North America where it forms part of ...

'' Rupr. (Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Bahia del Ropsario, Baja California and California - America) Non-Laminariales species that may be considered as kelp: * ''

Durvillea antarctica ''Durvillaea antarctica'', also known as ' and ', is a large, robust species of southern bull kelp found on the coasts of Chile, southern New Zealand, and Macquarie Island.Smith, J.M.B. and Bayliss-Smith, T.P. (1998). Kelp-plucking: coastal ero ...

'', Fucales (

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

, and Australia) * ''

Durvillea willana ''Durvillaea willana'' is a large species of southern bull kelp endemic to New Zealand. Etymology The species epithet, ''willana'', honours Eileen Alice Willa who collected many algal species for Lindauer. Description This species is chocolate ...

'', Fucales (New Zealand) * ''Durvillaea potatorum'' ( Labillardière) Areschoug, Fucales (

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

; Australia)

Interactions

Some animals are named after the kelp, either because they inhabit the same

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

as kelp or because they feed on kelp. These include: *

Northern kelp crab ''Pugettia producta'', known as the northern kelp crab or shield-backed kelp crab, is a species of crab in the family Epialtidae. Distribution Found along the Pacific Coast of North America from southern Alaska to northern Mexico. Descrip ...

(''Pugettia producta'') and

graceful kelp crab ''Pugettia gracilis'', commonly known as the graceful kelp crab, is a species of small crab in the family Epialtidae. It lives among forests of kelp on the Pacific coast of North America. Description The carapace (shell) of this small crab is ...

(''Pugettia gracilis''), Pacific coast of North America. * Kelpfish (

blenny Blenny (from the Greek and , mucus, slime) is a common name for many types of fish, including several families of percomorph marine, brackish, and some freshwater fish sharing similar morphology and behaviour. Six families are considered "true ...

) (e.g., ''Heterosticbus rostratus'', genus '' Gibbonsia''), Pacific coast of North America. * Kelp goose (kelp hen) (''Chloephaga hybrida''), South America and the Falkland Islands * Kelp pigeon (sheathbill) (''Chionis alba'' and ''Chionis minor''), Antarctic

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Edible seaweeds Seaweeds

Description

Growth and reproduction

Kelp forests

Commercial uses

Commercial production

In history and culture

Conservation

Gallery

Prominent species

Interactions

See also

References

Further reading

External links