Search results for Kelp Forest

1 2 -3- 4 5
Bull kelp forest near Vancouver Island and Queen Charlotte Strait, Browning Pass, Canada, Nereocystis luetkeana
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Santa Barbara Island
Pyrosome in Kelp Forest, Santa Barbara Island, Pyrosoma
Kelp fronds showing pneumatocysts, bouyant gas-filled bubble-like structures which float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface, where it will spread to form a roof-like canopy, Santa Barbara Island
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Santa Barbara Island
Kelp Forest, Santa Barbara Island
Sunlight glows throughout a giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Garibaldi maintains a patch of algae (just in front of the fish) to entice a female to lay a clutch of eggs
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts, giant kelp forest, Catalina Island
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts, giant kelp forest, Catalina Island
Golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, amid kelp forest, Catalina Island, Muricea californica
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Catalina Island, California
Giant Kelp Forest, West End Catalina Island, Macrocystis pyrifera
Giant Kelp Forest, West End Catalina Island, Macrocystis pyrifera
Giant Kelp Forest, West End Catalina Island, rendered in the round by a circular fisheye lens
Giant Kelp Forest, West End Catalina Island, rendered in the round by a circular fisheye lens
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are typically oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Macrocystis pyrifera, Muricea fruticosa, San Clemente Island
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are typically oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera
Spectacular underwater rocky reef topography at San Clemente Island, typified by crevices, walls and profuse vertical relief on the rocky ocean bottom below the kelp forest
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera, Hypsypops rubicundus
Giant Black Sea Bass with Distinctive Identifying Black Spots that allow researchers to carry out sight/resight studies on the animals distributions and growth. Black sea bass can reach 500 pounds and 8 feet in length, Stereolepis gigas, Catalina Island
Broad Tail of a Black Sea Bass in the California Kelp Forest showing distinctive unique black spots that allow researchers to identify individual giant sea bass, Stereolepis gigas, Catalina Island
Giant black sea bass in the kelp forest at Catalina Island. An Endangered Giant Sea Bass can reach up to 8 feet in length and 500 pounds, seen here amid the giant kelp forest of Catalina Island. Once nearly fished to extinction and now thought to be at risk of a genetic bottleneck, the giant sea bass is slowly recovering and can be seen in summer months in California's kelp forests, Stereolepis gigas
Two giant black sea bass swim in a courtship circle, part of a larger gathering of a mating aggregation amid kelp forest, Catalina Island. In summer months, black seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning, Stereolepis gigas
An Endangered Giant Sea Bass can reach up to 8 feet in length and 500 pounds, seen here amid the giant kelp forest of Catalina Island, Stereolepis gigas
Giant black sea bass, gathering in a mating - courtship aggregation amid kelp forest, Catalina Island, Stereolepis gigas
1 2 -3- 4 5
Permalink: Kelp_Forest photos

All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.