Untangling Giant Kelp

Untangling Giant Kelp

July 18, 1:30-2:30pm

How Do the Environment and Genetics Shape Giant Kelp Form and Structure?

Sara Gonzalez, Ph.D. Candidate
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, UC Santa Cruz

Giant kelp poses a fascinating mystery—this single seaweed species exists in two distinct forms. The two forms—or “ecomorphs”—differ in the shape of their holdfast, the structure of the kelp which anchors it to the seafloor. One ecomorph forms a mound-shaped holdfast as big as a basketball with dense layers of root-like structures, while the other has a flattened holdfast that snakes along the rocky reef like a long piece of taffy. Why does the same species exist in such different forms? Is kelp more influenced by its DNA or by its environment?

Dive into the kelp forest with Sara to learn more about what her underwater research is revealing about the mystery of the giant kelp ecomorphs.
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Register in advance* for the online Science Sunday webinar (required): https://seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/learn/ongoing-education/science-sundays/

*Please register at least one hour prior to event start time. Registration closes at 12:30 PM PDT on Sunday, July 18, 2021.
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Science Sunday is for everyone interested in the world around them. Join us on the third Sunday of every month (except December) for a public lecture from a marine scientist, who presents current research and topics in an entertaining and easy-to-understand format, with up-to-date photos, video, and discussion.

-Time: 1:30 PM; lectures are one hour long and include time for a few questions at the end.
-Location: Online; webinar preregistration is required.
-Recommended for ages 10 and older.

Virtual Science Sundays are free for Seymour Center members, and $10 per household for non-members. Please consider supporting the Seymour Center, and gaining free access to programs like Science Sunday, by becoming a member today: seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/get-involved/join