Kelp Crab Research Paper

Monterey Bay is one of the most well known ecosystems in the United States here's a little about it. Monterey bay is home to 525 species of fish, 180 types of seabirds and shorebirds, and Monterey bay has a abundant amount of invertebrates and algae. Monterey bay also has a beautiful environment. Including the sandy dunes, rocky cliffs, rolling hills, steep mountains, and kelp forests. The total length of Monterey bay is over 5360 miles across. In that 5360 miles is the nation's largest kelp forest and canyons. One of the many organisms that live in the kelp forest is the Foliate Kelp Crab.

On the left is one of many organisms in the kelp forest the Foliate Kelp crab. Kelp crabs originated from Animalia, on the kelp crabs back shell it is colored chestnut brown. The stomach of the Foliate Kelp crab is red they often use these colors as camouflage by attaching kelp to their backs. Kelp crabs are also known to grow from four to six inches long. The main food of the Kelp crab is kelp that's one of the reasons it's called the kelp crab. Kelp crabs also have many predators to such as octopuses, giant Kelp
fish, Garibaldi, and Sheep head. As their shelter,they hide on kelp while they use camouflage so their predators don't see them. For reproduction after a Kelp crabs mates the female carries the eggs on her back until they hatch. Once they do hatch the female puts the babies onto kelp beds and leaves them on their own forever.

One of the things that affects the kelp crabs the amount of rain monterey bay gets,but the kelp crab isn't the only organism that's affected.

When the water levels rise in Monterey Bay because of rain the kelp crab population decreases.
Causing its predators to be able to eat them because they can swim higher up in the water. The amount of rain also makes the water cooler because then the bottom doesn't get enough sunlight. The water temperature also affects the Giant kelp fish because when the water gets warmer the giant kelp fish die off which causes the crab population to go up but the kelp population to go down also. When it gets warmer the water gets warmer and then the glaciers melt causing the water in Monterey bay to also increase. When monterey bay gets cold in December, January, February, and into early march the water doesn't freeze over so nothing major happens except the fish population goes down a little bit. Climate isn't the only thing affecting monterey bay humans also have their
part.

Because Monterey is such a beautiful place people want to spend their time there. Which when they do. They do recreational activities such as fishing. Fishing is allowed but they don't recommend it because it may harm the organisms. Things that are not allowed in Monterey bay are drilling for oil or dumping waste. The U.S navy wants to use Monterey Bay as a submarine practice zone but the people at Monterey bay made a place for the navy to use instead of their property. Also the U.S navy wanted to use the sanctuary bay as amphibious landing practice, they denied their request immediately. The Chinese also began harvesting kelp, Abalone, squids, and sharks. Then in 1850 Italian immigrants fished and supplied in Monterey bay because of all this. In 1900 Abalone became so scarce that they banned Chinese and Italians to market fish in Monterey bay.

In conclusion, Monterey bay is a amazing ecosystem but there are many difficulties the people in Monterey bay have to face such as. The U.S navy or the temperature change but the people in Monterey bay will keep doing their job to make sure Monterey bay is doing okay.