Kelp Forests Absorb 5 Million Tons of Carbon Dioxide Every Year
What's the value of seaweed? A new study published in Nature Communications suggest the value of the sea plant goes far beyond sushi. Researchers valued kelp forests, forests of large brown algae, at about $465 billion and $562 billion per year worldwide due to their positive impact on commercial fisheries and the environment. This flora also absorbs 4.5 million tonnes (4.96 tons) of carbon dioxide annually, rather like forests on land.