But in the world of marine microbial ecology, there are very few model systems and associated tools that enable scientists to deeply explore the physiology, biochemistry, and ecology of marine microbes, which drive the ocean's elemental cycles, influence greenhouse gas levels, and
support marine food webs.
This «kelp highway hypothesis» suggested that highly productive kelp forests
supported rich and diverse
marine food webs in nearshore waters, including many types of fish, shellfish, birds,
marine mammals, and seaweeds that were similar from Japan to California, Erlandson and his colleagues also argued that coastal kelp forests reduced wave energy and provided a linear dispersal corridor entirely at sea level, with few obstacles to maritime peoples.