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Giant kelp dominate in Channel Islands National Park
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Our newest acquisition is a complete set
of all kelp forest indicator species monitored by the Channel Islands National Park, a marine preserve off the coast of California. Indicator species are sensitive species that scientists use to monitor the health of an entire ecosystem. This new collection, created in partnership with the US National Park Service and Coastal Marine Biolabs, (Ventura CA) makes the Channel Islands National Park the first to archive DNA from all of its indicator species!
Kelp forests are very important environments. These forests under the sea are named for the macroalgae that dominate their seascape. Like trees in terrestrial forests, giant kelp provides food and shelter to over 1,000 kelp forest species. Their holdfasts, root-like structures that anchor them to the sea floor, are excellent hiding places and function as nurseries for juvenile rockfish and invertebrates such as spiny lobster, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. Humans use kelp, too! Kelp is used to make many foods and other products including ice cream, soaps, and shampoos.
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Kelp forest species from the Channel Islands National Park
Genomic DNA from each is archived at OGL
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In collaboration with biologists at the Channel Islands National Park, students and faculty from Coastal Marine Biolabs collected, identified, and studied kelp forest animals. And, to give more value to their work, they deposit DNA from their collections to the OGR.
This project marks the first effort to create a permanent DNA record of the diversity of species a National Park! In the future, scientists will use this record as a baseline for comparison to help determine if species populations are healthy and if conservation efforts are successful.
OGL is proud to join with marine scientists, research laboratories, educational institutions, and conservation organizations worldwide to participate in such important work. We thank all of our collaborators and depositors!
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