California Sea Grant College Program

Despite the kelp forest’s biological and economic importance, kelp forest ecology is rich in unanswered, yet basic, scientific questions. What controls the abundance of kelp spores? Do spores from distant kelp beds reseed local beds torn asunder by storms? Are many small kelp beds or fewer large ones better for maintaining healthy fisheries? All these are important questions for managing the state’s marine resources and for preserving its remarkable natural history.