Some juvenile Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) has been washing ashore recently (photo above from 27 July 2019). It made me wonder — What's the smallest Bull Kelp I've photographed?
Here's one from August 2016 that's a fairly similar size to the one pictured above. (Although there's a very small individual that doesn't have a float yet hiding behind Eric's finger.)
And here's one from May 2012 that was growing in a tidepool in Mendocino County. The float wasn't fully formed yet, and the blades attached to the float hadn't split:
I'll have to keep better track of the young individuals. What's the smallest Bull Kelp float you've seen?
Has there been any improvement in the kelp forests?
ReplyDeleteHi, Charlie,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for reading and for the question. I don't survey Bull Kelp myself, but here are links to some helpful resources provided by CDFW:
A 2017 article about CDFW Kelp Surveys:
https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/News/cdfw-kelp-survey
A recent update from Laura Rogers-Bennett:
https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/News/californias-disappearing-kelp-forests-what-scientists-and-divers-can-do-to-reverse-this-trend
The Sonoma-Mendocino Bull Kelp Recovery Plan:
https://farallones.org/climate/kelp/
I hope this helps!
Jackie