The Southern Ocean - Kelp forests, Fortescue Bay
Locations
The Southern Ocean
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Introduction
The Southern Ocean, which circles the globe without being blocked by land, is home to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the longest of the world's ocean currents. Also known as the "channel", it connects the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins and exerts a powerful influence over the Earth's climate. The ACC carries 150 times more water around Antarctica than the flow of all the world's rivers combined.
The kelp forests, Fortescue Bay
Overview
Giant kelp is the largest marine plant in the world, reaching up to 30m in height. It provides one of the most biologically productive marine habitats, and is home to a diverse number of endemic species, such as the weedy seadragon, the potbelly seahorse and the golden weedfish. Giant kelp forests used to stretch all along the east coast of Tasmania. Today, however, it's disappearing catastrophically fast. In certain places only 5% of its original amount remains.
One significant factor behind this dramatic decline appears to be climate change. Kelp is extremely sensitive to changes in water temperature. A 1.5ºC increase in the last decade means that temperatures are reaching the top end of the optimal range for kelp growth. Human pollution and an increased number of sea urchins (which feed on the giant kelp) are not helping either.
| Importance: | The giant kelp marine habitats of east Tasmania are on the verge of extinction. |
| Dive category: | This is a dive which takes place close to the shore between 10 to 30m. The swaying kelp can make divers feel disoriented. It is important to streamline equipment to ensure that it doesn't get caught in the fragile kelp. |
| Access: | Giant kelp forests are getting harder and harder to find on the eastern coast of Tasmania. When filming Oceans, Paul Rose had to find the kelp by scouting the area on a helicopter. |
Interesting for
- Tasmania's loss of kelp forests
- KelpWatch, a community-based research project, looks at the history of the giant kelp decline throughout Tasmania.
- Decline of giant kelp
- The beautiful sights of giant kelp forests
- A Flickr slideshow of giant kelp forest photographs sent in by the worldwide community.
- Giant kelp
BBC related content
- Oceans presenter biography: Philippe Cousteau
- Oceans presenter biography: Tooni Mahto
- Oceans image gallery: The Southern Ocean
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