Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
0.8
0.6
August
0.4
September
0.2
June
July
0
-0.2
May
April
-0.4
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
log
10
shoot density (no. m
-2
)
Fig. 15.4
Relationship between log
10
stand biomass and log
10
shoot density along the life span of
the sporophytes of
Phyllariopsis purpurascens
(from April to September) growing at 30 m depth in
Tarifa (Strait of Gibraltar). A significant negative slope suggested the occurrence of self-thinning
in this population (Flores-Moya et al.
1997
)
Kelp forests are considered as one of the most productive and dynamic
ecosystems on Earth (Mann
1973
). Moreover, they have very high species richness.
About 1,800 different species from different phyla find refuge or breed in the kelp
forests in the United Kingdom (Birkett et al.
1998
) and a total of 238 faunal species
were recorded in the Norwegian
Laminaria hyperborea
forests (Christie et al.
2003
,
2009
). The species richness associated with the
L. ochroleuca
forests at Alboran
Island (Templado et al.
2006
) has been estimated to be around 1,800-2,000 species,
although this island is minuscule (614 m maximum length and 300 m maximum
width) in comparison to the British Isles or to the shoreline of Norway, and its shelf
is not extensive due to the steep slopes. Thus, it could be hypothesized that the
Alboran Island kelp forests may be the ecosystem with the highest biodiversity in
Europe.
15.6 Conservation and Prospects
The conservation status of kelp forest in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea
is satisfactory, principally due to the deep locations of these communities. The best
conserved kelp forests are located on the sea bottoms of Alboran Island. The
Natural Park of the Strait and the Marine and Fishing Reserve of Alboran Island
are protected areas that help to preserve these singular deep water kelp forests.
Recent observations with unmanned ROVs from the organization OCEANA
(Aguilar et al.
2010
) have contributed more knowledge about the extent, depth
distribution, and organisms associated with the deep water kelp forests and kelp
