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How are kelp forests benefiting from sushi bars?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

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Killer Picks: Wollemi Pine, greatest living fossils discovered in the 20th century—>Click here.

Fold Cat, Fisherman's Dream Kit, Sport Boat, Kayak, Cutty Sark Ship Model—>Click here.

In the 1950s, storms damaged the kelp (Order: Laminariales) forests along the southern coast of California. Normally, the kelp forests recover within a few years. This time the kelp did not recover. The sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus spp.) were feeding on raw sewage dumped into the waters; their population exploded and the spiny animals ate the coastal waters into barrens. This episode demonstrated the sea urchins had a major impact on determining coastal habitats. Sea urchins were classified as pests.

A sea otter has wrapped himself with kelp
as an anchor for a nap
Bill Curtsinger/National Geographic
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Kelp are seaweeds of cold nutrient-rich coastal waters. When established, they support a wide diversity of plant and animal life. Kelp provide nursery, protection, and food for fish and other sea animals. These, in turn, are food for sea otters, birds, sea lions, and seals. Sea lions and seals are the diet for orca.

In an established kelp forest, sea urchins remain secretive and feed on drifting pieces of kelp. Otter and starfish keep the sea urchins in check. Reduction in the numbers of fish or any other members of this food-web cause a cascade of losses through the community. Sea lion and seal as the largest mammals suffer first. When their numbers drop, orca feed on sea otter. When sea otters decline, the sea urchins cease their secretive lifestyle and begins roving,
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Green sea urchins, chitons and a starfish in a tidal pool
Joel Sartore/National Geographic Image Collection
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consuming the entire kelp forest.

The sea urchins maintain the barrens eating any kelp before it can establish. The population benefits from the barrens at first. Crabs and animals that would eat the urchin larvae are absent. The population increases until the urchins suffer from malnutrition, then parasites or diseases become epidemic and reduce the numbers. Kelp forests return and with them the sea life.

In the past few decades, sea urchins have lost their bad reputation. The roe or 'uni' of sea urchin are a delicacy in sushi bars. The urchin population now suffers from overfishing.

Paulette's Underwater Photographs of Southern California are excellent. This is a series of 136 photographs and well worth the time to page through. To go to the entry page of the series, click on the link:

http://diver.net/paulette/

Click on any link in the center of the page. At the bottom of each photograph are additional links.

American University's Trade and Environment Database has a case study of the sea urchin overfishing problems including environmental, political, and legal impacts. To learn more, click on the link:

http://www.american.edu/TED/URCHIN.HTM

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Wollemi Pine

National Geographic®

Exclusively from National Geographic, this survivor from the age of the dinosaurs is one of the greatest living fossils discovered in the 20th century. The Wollemi pine is one of the world's oldest and rarest tree species, belonging to a 200-million-year-old plant family thought to have been extinct for more than two million years. Previously known only from fossil records, it was presumed extinct until a single tree was found in the Wollemi National Park, Australia, in 1994. Subsequent research discovered 100 adult trees that have survived in a single canyon in this wild and rugged area. Click here to view canyon, trees and fossil record.

You can assist in the conservation effort and enjoy the unique opportunity to ensure the continued survival of this rare species by giving the tree as a gift or growing your own. Suitable for indoor container gardening or as a landscape tree in certain areas of the U.S. Comes with a care manual with the full story about the discovery and fascinating history of the Wollemi pine. Comes in a copper-colored container and will be approximately 10''H when shipped. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these plants will fund ongoing conservation research. Click here to get your Wollemi Pine and assist in the conservation effort.

Cutty Sark Ship Model

National Geographic®

One of history's great clipper ships, the Cutty Sark was launched in 1869, just as the Suez Canal was opened and the steamship began its ascendancy. Fully assembled, this handsome model is handmade from wood and cloth to faithfully reproduce all of her hallmarks, from the sharp bow to soaring masts and sails. Includes a special scroll detailing her history and exploits.

Click here for price and more info...