Unpublished Paper
EIS Statement Alaskan Kelp Forest
(2022)
Abstract
Currently, several environmentally-damaging issues are negatively impacting the state of the Alaskan kelp forest. Some of the issues include climate change, pollution, lack of biodiversity, and human involvement (Reef Check Worldwide; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)). Sea urchins and a lack of biodiversity pose the most immediate threat to the Alaskan kelp forest (NOAA). Climate change reduced the amount of sea urchin predators in the kelp forest, like sea otters, seals, and starfish (National Parks Service; Monterey Bay Aquarium). As sea urchins take over the ocean floor, they feed on large amounts of kelp, eliminating the kelp forest without restriction (NOAA). Under normal circumstances, the sea urchins contribute to the environment by stopping the overgrowth of kelp, but without predators to restrain them, the urchins are consuming an unsustainable amount of kelp. As a result, the sea urchins are killing the kelp forest.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2022
Citation Information
Raven McKelvin, Sriya Mudumba, Garrett Snedden and Colin Ward. "EIS Statement Alaskan Kelp Forest" (2022) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/raven-mckelvin/21/