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Sage Ono, inspired by his grandfather's marine biology stories, captures the unique underwater life of Monterey Bay's giant kelp forests.

Several organizations have stepped up to the challenge of submerging plant matter in the deep ocean, amassing the biomass from various sources including farmed or gathered fast-growing seaweed such as giant kelp or sargassum, or terrestrial vegetation such as agricultural or forestry waste.

"We found that larger stands of giant kelp prevented shifts in sea urchin foraging behavior, and these persistent forests were better at withstanding multiple stressors," said Dr. Joshua Smith, the study's lead author and Ocean Conservation Research Scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Giant kelp, the foundation species of rocky reefs, serves as a major part of the beach food web as fronds of the giant seaweed break away from the forest and are transported to the beach.

Urchins have hurt both species, though giant kelp forests have fared better.