Sea Kelp Facts

Oregon Coast Aquarium rides technology's wave to build interest in oceans and ...

When Oceanscape Network launches two summers from now, Ron Houchens' creative drive will splash across Web pages promoting scientific inquiry, marine conservation and just getting outside to explore nature firsthand. But first, through September, the aquarium is raising money for the network by raffling one of Houchens' crazy, colorful surfboards. With a start-up cost of $250,000, the project got rolling with grants from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Pacific Power Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, Swindells Charitable Trust and others. But because Oceanscape Network will be free to all users -- students, teachers, average Joes from Oregon and, perhaps, around the world -- the project needs ongoing fundraising, Myers says. But beyond the enticements of a cool website, Myers says, a key goal of Oceanscape Network will be to achieve something trickier: to use technology to get young people away from technology "so they're outside exploring nature rather than watching a video about it. ... Even if they live in the middle of Portland and aren't anywhere near the ocean, they can learn about aquatic habitats by, maybe, going to the local duck pond." The network aims to draw those who live far from the scent of salt air -- kids like the one painter Ron Houchens once was. Growing up on a Nampa, Idaho, farm, he waited all year for his family's summer vacations along the central Oregon coast. When he moved there in 2001, he remembers thinking, "This is what I've wanted forever." Houchens, 39 and a single father of two girls, became a member at the aquarium and eventually started dating its events coordinator, Jo Swain. Five years ago, she persuaded him to volunteer, and he since has donated about 800 hours of his time and skill to the aquarium. Houchens describes his artistic renderings as "a mix between a tattoo style and a comic-book style. ... I accentuate a lot with black lines, then hide the lines with color. It makes it really pop." His surfboards, which take 20 to 60 hours to complete, swim with seahorses, starfish and turtles. Some have space themes, dragons or skulls. An orchid grower commissioned Houchens to cover a board with the exotic blooms.

World Oceans Day: Kelp sea weed (fun facts)

5. The significance of sea kelp for use by human beings is dependent upon the rich source of vitamins and minerals that it contains. Kelp is known to contain at least 60 different minerals and elements, as well as 12 vitamins and 21 amino acids. This wealth of nutrition is aided by the fact that it comes in plant form that is quite easily digested through the human system. 6. The effects of sea kelp biomass can be quite beneficial. Contained within the biomass are many chemicals known as alginates that can be used as thickeners and gelling agents. One of the properties of these alginates found in kelp is the unusual ability to hold water, therefore material gotten from kelp is used in everything from ice cream to salad dressing and gelatin.

The Facts on File dictionary of marine science

See Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea. kelp A group of large brown algae, or brown seaweeds, of the orders Laminari- ales and Fucales. ...

Wise woman herbal healing wise

Kelp Facts Botanical name: Alaria esculenta; ala (Latin) means wing, ... giant kelp, bull whip kelp, sea kelp, horsetail kelp, bladder kelp, sea otter's ...

go facts oceans sea life

Some seaweed, such as giant kelp, grows into huge underwater forests. Seals can hide from predators in kelp forests. Sea lions search through the kelp for ...

The Facts on File dictionary of ecology and the environment

The term was originally applied only to the landscape of the Karst in the Di- naric Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea. kelp Large brown seaweeds that grow ...

Whole food facts

Kelp Kelp is the fastest growing plant on land or in the sea. It can grow two feet a day and reach lengths of over one hundred feet. ...