Question

Common products such as ice cream, toothpaste, and paint utilize ingredients that can be harvested from kelp and other seaweeds. Describe the impact on the kelp forest ecosystem if the kelp was aggressively overharvested during one summer season. In your description, identify the two organisms which will be the most immediately affected, state if their population would increase or decrease, and describe WHY this increase or decrease would be observed.

question:
Increase or Decrease?

Answer 1

If kelp is overharvested, its population will decrease and this will impact the population of organisms that depend on it for food and habitat.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the kelp in a kelp forest ecosystem is aggressively overharvested during one summer season, it would have a negative impact on the ecosystem and the organisms within it. Two organisms that would be immediately affected are the kelp itself and the organisms that depend on it for food and habitat.

The population of kelp would decrease as a result of overharvesting. Kelp is a primary producer in the ecosystem, meaning it is a crucial food source for many organisms. Its decrease in population would disrupt the food chain, leading to a decrease in the population of organisms that rely on kelp for food, including sea urchins and abalones.

The decrease in kelp population would also result in a decrease in habitat availability. Kelp forests provide shelter, protection, and breeding grounds for a variety of organisms, such as fish and invertebrates. With less kelp, these organisms would have less suitable habitat, leading to a decrease in their population as well.