Kelpforesten

Kelpforesten is a coastal ecotone described as a mosaic zone where underwater kelp forests meet nearby woodland or forest ecosystems. The concept highlights cross-habitat interactions that influence nutrient exchange, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience in temperate coastal zones.

Habitat and distribution: Kelpforesten is associated with rocky or stable sandy substrates in shallow subtidal zones, typically in cool, nutrient-rich waters with moderate wave exposure. It occurs where kelp forests extend to shallow shelves and where terrestrial forests are within sight or reach of the sea breeze and storm runoff, enabling input of organic matter from both environments.

Ecology: The area hosts a diverse community: marine invertebrates, fish, and sheltering species in the kelp canopy; terrestrial birds, small mammals, and invertebrates at the forest edge. Nutrient cycling is influenced by seaweed detritus, freshwater input, and litterfall, promoting transfer of energy across the land-sea boundary.

Threats and conservation: Climate change, warming seas, overfishing, pollution, and physical disturbance can degrade kelp stands and forest edges, reducing cross-habitat exchange. Management approaches include marine protected areas, restoration of kelp canopies, buffer zones along coastlines, and monitoring of cross-ecosystem fluxes.

In research and policy: The term underscores the importance of cross-habitat connectivity for biodiversity and ecosystem services such as coastal protection, fisheries productivity, and carbon sequestration, encouraging integrated coastal management.

See also: kelp forest, ecotone, coastal ecology, land-sea interaction.