Kelp Forests - Scottish Natural Heritage

the sea bed as the roots of land plants penetrate the soil, nor
is it involved in the transfer of nutrients, which kelp plants
derive directly from seawater.
The bladder kelps include the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera,
which is the largest marine plant known on earth. This plant,
which forms dense beds off the coast of California, can grow
up to 50m in length. Under optimal growing conditions, it can
increase in length at a rate of 1m per day!
Laminarian kelp forests, composed mainly of cuvie, Laminaria
hyperborea, are found on suitable rocky areas all around the
Scottish coastline, reaching their greatest extent where the
sea bed slopes gently away from the land. They are less
common along the east coast, where much of the sea bed is
composed of sand, and are particularly extensive around
Skye and the adjacent mainland, along the west coast of the
Outer Hebrides, and around Orkney and Shetland.
KEY:
Laminaria
Macrocystis
Ecklonia
World distribution of major kelp forests
(after Mann 1973)
Cuvie
3