A University of Portsmouth scientist has helped give a unique glimpse into the beautiful underwater forests, which create some of the most productive habitats on the planet.
Over the summer of 2023 Natural England commissioned a team of filmmakers, led by Dr Ian Hendy from the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) , to capture kelp forests in the waters around the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall.
The documentary, 'Forests Beneath the Waves', is now available to watch on YouTube . Narrated by Ian, the film captures the beauty as well as the function of this important habitat, highlighting the many species that rely on it.
In the film we see an undulate ray and two-spot gobies hiding from predators, a nursehound shark looking to lay her egg in a safe place, and a seal hunting for food. A whole world in an underwater forest that would usually be unknown to us land-dwelling creatures.
The vibrant life our UK kelp forests hold is unbelievable, and their beauty even rivals tropical coral reefs. Not forgetting, the ability of these essential fish habitats towards helping mitigate climate change and increase crucial ecosystem services.
Dr Ian Hendy, University of Portsmouth's Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS)
Dr Hendy said: "When Natural England approached me to make this exciting film I was thrilled. I immediately realised the significance and impact of this, and what this could mean for policy, protection and outreach. When making this film my team and I encountered everything from beautiful sharks, stunning juvenile rays, mesmerising cuttlefish, blue-rayed limpets - that almost look like they have electric blue neon lights - huge seals, and even tuna fish!
"The vibrant life our UK kelp forests hold is unbelievable, and their beauty even rivals tropical coral reefs. Not forgetting, the ability of these essential fish habitats towards helping mitigate climate change and increase crucial ecosystem services."
Kelp, a group of large seaweeds, forms dense forests under the sea. They create some of the most productive habitats on the planet and can be found not far from the shoreline. Kelp forests themselves can act as a buffer against storms, increase oxygen, reduce carbon dioxide and absorb anthropogenic nutrients.
They provide shelter, nursery grounds, and feeding grounds to a wide array of species, as the kelp forest holds numerous food sources. This includes species such as sea snails, sea urchins and limpets.
Despite their resilience, kelp forests are under significant threat globally due to a combination of environmental and human factors. These underwater ecosystems face risks including warming oceans, acidification, pollution, increased nutrients through run-offs from agriculture, and coastal development.
Overfishing can also affect population numbers. Removing key species from ecosystems - like fish or lobsters - can disrupt the balance, leading to issues like overgrazing or competition for resources.
Marina Rees , Marine Higher Officer at Natural England, worked on the project. She said: "In past decades, a strong decline of kelp across the world has been observed, including in the UK. Climate change is a big factor. I have myself witnessed the increase of bleached kelp during heat waves, and escalating storms destroying entire parts of kelp forests.
"The warming waters induce a change of ecosystem too. Species of kelp are starting to migrate north, and non-native species of both seaweeds and animals are arriving in the UK. In the film, the eerily graceful and luminous crystal jellyfish is captured, a species common in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, but a visitor to our seas."
Crystal jellyfish - Film still, © Dr Ian Hendy
Forests Beneath the Waves was created with the aim to reach out and enthuse people about our wonderful kelp forests. The journey to kelp recovery started with the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. This pioneering legislation created one of the largest trawling prohibited areas in the UK in March 2021.
At the same time, also with significant involvement from Dr Hendy, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project was formed to champion, study and facilitate the return of kelp through progressive, coherent and collaborative action. This initiative gained huge popularity due to the Help Our Kelp documentary , narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and also starring Dr Hendy. This popularity led to the first government-sanctioned bylaw and protected area.
Meanwhile in 2023, a new resource launched to build a complete picture of action being taken along the South Coast to help combat the effects of climate change. The Solent to Sussex Bay Seascape Restoration Inventory is a collaboration with the University of Portsmouth, the Solent Forum and the Sussex Marine and Coastal Forum.
It is the first stage of a bigger project - the Solent to Sussex Bay Seascape Restoration project , which will bring together marine scientists and business leaders to help improve the health of the UK coastline, forming the UK Seascape Restoration Research Network .
