TASMANIAN KELP CANOPY FOREST
Kelp (Phaeophyceas) is a canopy forming algae plant that cultivates in dense beds along the coastal shores of Tasmania and around the world. A distinct characteristic found in these kelps are their long and tough stalks, naturally exceeding 40 meters in height under water. Because kelp thrives in cold, nutrient rich water, climate change and direct human impacts are taking their toll on the marine plant drastically as statistics have shown that only approximately 5% of the forest is left. As kelp forests are naturally dense, this allows for the formation of habitats with great ecological …show more content…
Humans activities unfortunately, are one of the reasons as to why this forest is disappearing at an alarming rate. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation (burning and removing vegetation), methods of waste breakdown and industrial practices are only a few of the contributors to global warming and the ever changing climate. Over the past two decades, statistics have shown that the minimum water temperature of south-east Tasmania has risen over 20%. This results in the kelps optimum growing temperature to decrease overtime, inevitably stumping their growth and