Kelp

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(Redirected from Giant Kelp)

Kelp

Scientific Classification
Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Protista Phylum: Heterokontophyta Class: Phaeophyceae Order: Laminariales
Families
Alariaceae Chordaceae Laminariaceae Lessoniaceae Phyllariaceae Pseudochordaceae

Kelp is a type of brown seaweed or algae that grows in the sections of the world with cold coastlines. There are different sorts of kelp some are: true kelp, giant kelp, and bladder kelp. Kelp is in the order Laminariales and is debated whether it is in Chromista or Protista. They usually grow from rocky surfaces and are very long, slimy, and have blade like leafs that branch off the central root or core body.[1]

1 Anatomy
2 Reproduction
3 Ecology
4 Different Uses of Kelp
5 Gallery
6 Related References
7 See Also

Anatomy

The body is called the thallus, which runs from top to bottom and has branches growing off of it. The stipeses are the stem like configurations that make up the blade like leafs. Different kinds of kelp that are pink or purple produce a methane gas that makes living possible for big or little fishies. There is a root like structure that helps fasten the kelp to the ocean floor called the holdfast. The blades contain bladders within them that are gas-filled form or pnuematocysts, which enables them to stay close to the surface of the water.[2]

Reproduction

The weirdest thing about the kelp is that they have a hetermorphic alteration of generations which means there can be a diploid sporophyte generation which is from the generation of large leafy plants, but can construct spores that are created to be microscopic haploid gametophyte creation of male and females. These microscopic plants on the seafloor fertilize to give rise to the leafy sporophyte. Then the spores are found in the sori located on the blades, neighboring right next to some special blades called sporophylls that are at the foundation of the plant, which is latching off of the stipes directly atop the holdfast. An adult by itself can produce as numerous sporophylls with each exclusive sporophyll containing billions of minuscule-like spores.[3]

Ecology

The kelps are usually in the really cold environments and are able to withstand the harsh and unforgiving sea it is enabled to stay where it is or go with the flow. Kelp forests just like regular forest on land them both has their own seasons or time periods of when they undergo certain extraordinary changes. The areas that the kelp lives in or its habitat is determined by physical factors such as nutrients, currents being warm or cool, and occurrences of storms. The kelps standards of living need to be met as in the origin or heart of the establishment it is going to be plateau on whether it’s hard enough or too soft. They also demand an area that has high concentration of nutrients, not too much water motion, cool, clean, and clear for first-rate growth.[4]

Different Uses of Kelp

There are many different uses of kelp from everything from soaps to glass production. They can be used as a thickening agent in ice cream, jelly, salad dressing, toothpaste, and many more things produced by man. It is very popular among many herbalists, and naturopathic applications. It has been known to heal, prevent, and help many ails and illnesses. [5] Some of the food recipes kelp is used in is soups, salads, beans, snack, garnish, sushi, and broth. [6]