Kelp Forest

Which of the following is a primary consumer in a kelp forest food web?

• Kelp bass

• Sea urchin

• Leopard shark

• Harbor seal

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What is the main reason kelp forests are important for biodiversity?

• They provide a source of fresh water.

• They offer a unique habitat that supports a wide variety of species.

• They are the only source of food for many marine animals.

• They produce oxygen through photosynthesis.

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Which of the following is a top predator in the kelp forest food web?

• Kelp crab

• Sea star

• California moray

• Great white shark

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What is one of the major threats to kelp forests worldwide?

• Overfishing

• Overpopulation of sea urchins

• Increased sedimentation from river runoff

• All of the above

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How does climate change pose a threat to kelp forests?

• By increasing ocean temperatures, which can stress kelp and reduce its growth.

• By decreasing the amount of sunlight that penetrates the water surface.

• By increasing the salinity of the ocean, which kelp cannot tolerate.

• By reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the water, which kelp needs for photosynthesis.

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What conservation strategy is used to protect kelp forests?

• Establishing marine protected areas

• Banning all fishing activities

• Removing all predators from the ecosystem

• Planting kelp in freshwater environments

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Why is it important to maintain a healthy population of sea urchins in kelp forests?

• They provide a food source for many kelp forest predators.

• They help to aerate the ocean floor.

• They compete with kelp for sunlight, keeping the forest from becoming too dense.

• They can overgraze on kelp if their populations are not controlled.

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Which of the following factors do NOT limit the growth of kelp forests?

• Salinity

• Light

• Space

• Temperature

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Why must kelp live in deep, calm waters?

• nutrients are more abundant in deep, calm waters than in warm, turbid waters

• the photosynthetic pigments of kelp are more efficient in the depths than in the shallows

• rocky terrain, the preferred substrate of kelp, is only found in deep, calm waters

• the holdfasts are less likely to be ripped off the rocks in calm waters than in turbid waters

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How might Kelp counteract the activity of grazers like sea urchins?

• Float on the surface of the water with their holdfasts suspended in the water column

• Produce bad-tasting or toxic chemical to deter the sea urchin from eating it

• Produce blades that are several meters in length to maximize its photosynthetic capabilites

• Attach their holdfasts into sandy sediment to hide them from the grazers

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