Appearance
''Saccharina latissima'' is a yellowish brown colour with a long narrow, undivided blade that can grow to 5 metres long and 20 centimetres wide. The central band is dimpled while the margins are smoother with a wavy edge. The frond is attached to the rock by stout rhizoids about 5 mm in diameter in the intertidal and sublittoral zones by a claw-like holdfast and a short, pliable, cylindrical stipe.
Habitat
''Saccharina latissima'' is an ecologically important system. It is a primary producer, delivering plant material to the coastal food web. The three-dimensional forests also serve as a habitat for animals, resulting in a high biodiversity. Fish, shellfish and other animals get food and hiding places within these forests.
Predators
In 2004, scientists reported a loss in sugar kelp of up to 80% at Skagerrak and 40% at the West coast of Norway. The reasons for this loss are not fully understood, but the increase in ocean temperature, high levels of nutrients and the reduction in animal species feeding off the filamentous algae are suggested as the most likely reasons.References:
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