Small gas bladders -- pneumatocysts -- connect the kelp's stipes ("stems") to its blades ("leaves"). These bladders help elevate the kelp plant from the bottom, towards sunlight and the water's surface.
Kelp frond showing pneumatocysts. Santa Barbara Island, California, USA
Stock Photo: 02435 -?- Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera Location: Santa Barbara Island, California, USA Lat/Long: 33° 27' 57.29"N, 119° 02' 49.59"W (Coordinates: 33.46591°, -119.04711°) Format: Film 2:3 Other Names: kelp forest, seaweed, sea weed, sea grass, sargazo gigante, harina de kelp, giant kelp, harina de la macroalga, gedroogde kelp, zeewier, reuzenkelp, braendeltang, macroalga marina, Phaeophyceae Copyright © Phillip Colla, all rights reserved worldwide. Purchase a print of this image Request a review copy of this image Keywords: air bladder, algae, beck seta, blade, braendeltang, bubble, california, channel islands, channel islands national marine sanctuary, float, forest, frond, frond stipe pneumatocyst detail, gas, gedroogde kelp, giant kelp, habitat, harina de kelp, harina de la macroalga, kelp, kelp forest, leaf, macroalga marina, macrocystis, macrocystis pyrifera, marine, marine algae, marine plant, national marine sanctuaries, ocean, oceans, outdoors, outside, pacific, pacific ocean, phaeophyceae, plant, pneumatocyst, pneumatocysts, reuzenkelp, santa barbara island, sargazo gigante, sea, sea grass, sea weed, seaweed, underwater, usa, zeewier |