Humans have a great influence on the preservation and ongoing destruction of the remaining kelp forests of today. The most prominent destruction on the forests has been the increase in high temperature water, due to el nino, but also greatly because of climate change. Kelp is very sensitive and grows well in cold temperatures, ideally between 42-72 degrees fahrenheit. When the water gets unnaturally warm kelp forests tend to wither and disappear.
Another painful effect on the Kelp forests has been kelp harvesting. Unbeknownst to most kelp is actually used in many products like, toothpaste, ice-cream, medicine and even in nail treatments. It's many uses makes it an ideal cash crop for many fortunate living near large kelp forests. Unfortunately while being beneficial to the economy, humans are destroying the vital homeland of many sea animals.
Runoff is also effecting the kelp forests greatly. Kelp needs sufficient sunlight to grow at its highest potential, yet run off from land bringing sediment and such clouds the water. This prevents the plant from undergoing photosynthesis and cripples the success of the underwater forest. There can also be chemical run off very often that disturbed the PH level of the water. Kelp cannot prosper if the water becomes to acidic so this poses yet another danger to the already declining forests.
Many kelp forests are damaged by overfishing of the area as well. When the food chain is damaged or broken, herbivore animals tend to start to graze on the kelp. This cuts down the success of the forests deeply sometimes as it may take a while for the food chain to go back to normal, in the men's time the kelp forests pay the price.