Tanit Broad Kelp

Alternatively known as "Sea Gift Kelp" or "Buddha's Sash", Tanit Broad Kelp is one of, if not the most useful type of kelp on the planet. But what is it? It's kelp! More specifically, Tanit Broad Kelp is the result of so much chance genetic change that it borders on the improbable and possibly the divine. Scientists currently hypothesize that it was a native algae that took extremely well to the genetic modifiers sowed at various stages of the terraforming process. This combination of natural evolution and Terran tampering resulted in the hyper-useful algae of modern Tanit.
Tanit Broad Kelp is harvested in the late fall, with people timing the harvest to match when spores are released to ensure a next crop. By doing this, they get fresh algae and maximum use from it. The kelp can be processed to provide food, tasty electrolyte beverages, raw fibres for textiles, a medical salve for the stings of several corals and jellyfish, four different hues of natural dye, and the bulbs are eternally popular with young children as balls or when cut in half, as bowls. To say that it's a global industry is a misunderstanding of how key this algae has become. The entire Tanit System depends on it to one degree or another. The process to get it from algae to product is comparatively straight forward, but what makes it a full on industry is that it needs to be done at the level that can support the billions of people in the Tanit System who can't collect their own to work with.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Tanit Broad Kelp is an extremely large bulb kelp, notable for its extremely long blades and aloe-like interior. It naturally grows in green, red, and blue varieties. The largest recorded Tanit Broad Kelp was 42m from holdfast to the tip of its longest blade.

Genetics and Reproduction

Tanit Broad Kelp reproduces like normal kelp with waterborne spores on an annual basis, and is equally comfortable in wild or domesticated settings.

Growth Rate & Stages

Once a spore attaches to a rock and begins to grow, Tanit Broad Kelp can grow up to 60cm per day in the best conditions.

Ecology and Habitats

Tanit Broad Kelp is a common kelp in all climates, being hardy and adaptable. It makes up massive kelp forests that provide nourishment and shelter to numerous aquatic and marine species in addition to being a commercially harvested resource. The algae prefers water at least 6m deep, but thrives best in the 25 to 40m depths.

Biological Cycle

As an annual algae, its growing season is the spring. Being almost the exact perfect balance between tough and flexible, it can weather most storm seasons well as adult plants, before dropping their spores throughout the fall. The plants then die in the winter.

Conservation Status

Thriving. Tanit Broad Kelp, between extensive wild patches and deliberate mariculture efforts, is classified as thriving.

Geographic Distribution

• Tanit II