Native sea urchins (kina) are important grazers in forests of kelp. At times, hordes of kina may strip a reef of kelp, creating an open area known as a barren. Young kelp that try to colonise the open area are devoured by resident kina, and a barren may remain free of large seaweeds for years. This photograph shows a multitude of kina chomping their way through a bed of bladder kelp.
Using this item
Reference: 10048890
by Rob Davidson
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.