Kelp Forest

Kelp forests are often called the rainforest of the sea. They support wide varieties of marine life. Sea otters are both a sentinal and a keystone species for the health of kelp forests. Without sea otters, there is a shift in the ecosystem that can severly damage the kelp forests. USGS scientists study sea otters and the ecosystems in which they live in efforts to help the threatened species continue to recover from near extinction.