1. KELP n DESCRIPTION: BROWN ALGAE, GIANT KELP GROWS TO 150 FEET, HAS ROOTLIKE HOLDFASTS, AIR BLADDERS KEEP THE KELP CLOSE TO THE OCEAN SURFACE MAXIMIZING PHOTOSYNTHESIS, BULL KELP AND GIANT KELP ARE THE MOST COMMON n PREDATORS: SEA URCHINS, ABALONE, FISH n NICHE: “BACKBONE” OF THE KELP FOREST n HABITAT: COLD SHALLOW COASTS

2. SEA OTTERS n DESCRIPTION: MARINE MAMMAL n DIET: SEA URCHINS, SEA STARS, CRABS, CLAMS, SNAILS, MUSSELS, ABALONE n PREDATORS: KILLER WHALES, SHARKS n NICHE: MAINTAINS STABILITY OF THE KELP FOREST BY KEEPING KELP PREDATORS IN CHECK n HABITIAT: KELP FOREST CANOPY

3. SEA URCHINS n DESCRIPTION: ECHINODERM, SPINES WITH POISON GLANDS, TUBELIKE FEET, UP TO 10 INCHES ACROSS n DIET: SEAWEED, DEAD OR SEDENTARY ANIMALS n PREDATORS: SEA OTTERS, SEA STARS, CRABS, FISH n NICHE: FOOD FOR PREDATORS, CONTROLS KELP n HABITIAT: KELP FOREST FLOOR

4. ABALONE n DESCRIPTION: MOLLUSC, ONE SHELLED INVERTEBRATE n DIET: SEAWEED n PREDATORS: FISH, CRABS, SEA STARS, SEA OTTERS n NICHE: CONTROLS KELP GROWTH n HABITAT: KELP FOREST FLOOR