California Senate Office of Research: Catastrophic Loss of Bull Kelp Forests
The kelp forests of California are one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the state, providing a home to more than 800 species of plants and animals. 2 Beginning in 2013, a “perfect storm” of kelp stressors led to the loss of more than 93 percent of the bull kelp along the coast of Northern California. 3 The sudden and widespread loss of bull kelp forests represents an unprecedented catastrophe that has severely affected the environmental, economic, and recreational health of the coastal region, particularly for Sonoma and Mendocino counties.