During a beach walk yesterday (17 August 2024), Eric and I came across quite a few Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) juveniles, including this very young individual (above) with a very small holdfast and one single blade.
Most of these juvenile kelps were a little bit larger, but still early in their development. Here's an example:
I appreciated coming across these Giant Kelp juveniles and learning more about how they develop.
P.S. I'm including one more photo just for fun. The floats are little larger in this individual, and I hadn't noticed at the time, but you can see my reflection in the floats. A self-portrait in kelp!
P.P.S. Regarding the title of this post — In casual conversation, we sometimes shorten the scientific name of Giant Kelp, Macrocystis, to "Macro." And because I am highlighting small individuals in this post, I thought it would be fun to play on those two names = Micro (small) Macro (Macrocystis).
5 comments:
Your silhouette in the kelp reminds me of album cover art.
Jackie, I love your self-portrait. The graceful arrangement of the kelp on the perfect sand background is beautiful in itself, but then to hide not one, but four images of yourself - brilliant.
Any theories about why these babies are washing up? I hope this is just part of a natural cycle for them, but....
Thanks, Bill and Peter! I like how my reflections are so small in the floats of the kelp. It matches my view of my place in the world, so small among all of the species and natural communities around us. To see it this way makes me feel grateful for the chance to say hello and thank you.
Hi, Sybold! Although I don't have data about juvenile Giant Kelp survival, I can say that I often see young kelps (at least some species) on the beach. I would assume that most of the time this is natural mortality and not necessarily something to be concerned about (at least at the population level). Sometimes a kelp starts growing in a spot that might not be quite right, where it might be vulnerable to being displaced (e.g., on a rock that's too small). But others grow in places that work out, and I can report that we saw quite a bit of older Giant Kelp growing in deeper water on the same day that we saw these juveniles washed ashore.
:) Jackie
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