Kelp is another name for seaweed. This brown colored seaweed grows to enormous sizes and becomes known as “kelp forests”. Kelp forests are found along coasts providing both habitats and food for a variety of marine species. In this way kelp forests support the biodiversity of our planet. While normally found in colder waters, the Charles Darwin Foundation has recently discovered tropical kelp forests just south of the Galapagos Islands.
Origin of the term and application
The term kelp forests has been in use for centuries. Kelp forests are vital for supporting a variety of marine life, thereby maintaining marine biodiversity. They are integral to the ecological balance of coastal ecosystems.
