Hi everyone!

To add to what Erik has already posted (looks great!), the amount of time that it took for the bull kelp bulb to burn in relation to the other kelps demonstrates its resistance to heat, far beyond temperatures it would encounter in its natural environment. (It would be interesting to find the rate at which the blades burn . . .) This could indicate that its cells have very strong, yet flexible walls, compared to the other species of seaweed examined.

Of the three types of pigment that were discussed, bull kelp contains fucoxanthin, which typically absorbs light at wavelengths of 450-540 nm, toward the high-energy end of the visible spectrum. (http://www.sea-thin.com/assets/documents/Japanese%20Fucoxanthin%20Clinical%20Study.pdf) This pigment also gives the kelp its brown tinge. The fact that the pigment is able to absorb light optimally at higher energy wavelengths suggests that it might be able to thrive at deeper levels than red seaweed species, since they can absorb the wavelengths that would be more likely to penetrate to deeper levels of the ocean. This would enable it to survive and grow during the earlier phases of its life, before reaching heights of up to 35m. (http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/bio2002/nereocystisl.htm) The high elasticity (anouther indication of the strength of the cell walls) would enable it to survive in regions with strong tidal currents, such as in the waters around this area.

This pigment/protein is also being researched for its fat-burning properties (meaning that there is lots of hype about it, and also that it is hard to find actual research on it on Google), though it has yet to be tested on humans, meaning that its effects are not yet actually known (http://www.sea-thin.com/assets/documents/Japanese%20Fucoxanthin%20Clinical%20Study.pdf).

So that's more from the biochem perspective!

Alex