by Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist; Read original post on Noozhawk here.
In August, LA Times writer Laurel Rosenhall reported on California lawmakers reaching a five-year deal with Google regarding AI (Artificial Intelligence).
In exchange for shelving legislation requiring Google to pay news outlets for distributing their content, they will form a new public-private partnership to fund programs researching artificial intelligence and supporting local journalism.
Even more than most new technology, the unknowns regarding AI are scary. The upside is intriguing, though. What could AI do for me?
I decided to experiment with Claude, Anthropic’s version of ChatGPT. I assigned Claude the project of updating my column about kelp:
I want you to read the attached column and update it with more recent information. I want it to be about 600-700 words and the same writing style.
In a few seconds, it returned an article that sounded very much like my original, with more recent data and an explanation of the key changes and additions.
It was astounding. I praised it (does it care?) and asked a question: This is great! Please trim it down to 600 or fewer. I am curious what sources you used?
“Regarding sources,” Claude informed me, “I want to clarify that I don’t have access to external sources or databases. The information I provided is based on my training data, which has a cutoff date of April 2024.
“For the most up-to-date and accurate information, I recommend verifying the details with current scientific publications and reports.”
Aha.
Below is a refreshed version of my 2008 Help with Kelp column. Claude wrote the new clever ending.
Help with Kelp: A Renewed Perspective
If you grew up near beaches and brothers, you may not have good associations with seaweed. My memory could be faulty, but it seems like my brother would wait until I was resting my bikini-clad body on a towel in the sand when he’d heave a great mound of the sandy slime on my back.
It was giant kelp, an ecosystem complete with crawly bugs and oozing tubers. So how is it that I can now write lovingly of my brother and kelp?
Seaweed I now appreciate because, “ewww” factor notwithstanding, it is one of the hidden treasures of the earth: the giant redwood of the sea forest. The kelp beds that line our coast from Santa Cruz to southern Baja provide fish nurseries and rich nutrients for otters and a multitude of invertebrates.
Santa Barbara continues to be at the forefront of research into kelp systems.
Since 2000, UCSB has housed a site in the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program established by the National Science Foundation.
The Santa Barbara Coastal LTER’s primary research objective remains “to investigate the relative importance of land and ocean processes in structuring giant kelp forest ecosystems.”
However, the scope and urgency of this research have expanded dramatically in recent years.
As climate change accelerates, researchers have recognized kelp forests as both potential victims and possible saviors. These underwater forests are under threat from rising ocean temperatures, which can lead to their destruction.
Yet, kelp also holds promise as a tool in our fight against climate change. Recent studies have shown that kelp can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a rate up to 20 times greater than land-based forests.
Our understanding of kelp’s importance to beach ecosystems has also deepened. More than 70% of southern California’s mainland shore is made of sandy beaches, and their health depends mostly on “external sources” of organic matter.
Kelp washing up onshore sustains over 800 species of organisms from birds and sandcrabs to insects who live or feed in this zone.
The intersection of ecology and economy remains a critical area of study. How can we continue economically and socially important activities like fishing and kelp harvesting without negatively affecting the sustainability of giant kelp forests?
This question has taken on new urgency as interest in kelp farming has surged.
Organizations like the Nature Conservancy have expanded their kelp forest leases, working with universities and aquaculture companies to develop sustainable harvesting practices.
These partnerships have shown that relatively minor changes can make a big difference. For instance, harvesting smaller amounts from a wider array of locations allows displaced species to relocate, preserving the health of the whole ecosystem.
The potential of kelp extends beyond environmental benefits. Researchers are exploring its use in biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and even as a nutritious food source for humans.
Some climate scientists suggest that large-scale kelp farming could significantly contribute to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
However, as with any resource, the key is balance. Overharvesting or poorly managed kelp farms could disrupt the very ecosystems we’re trying to protect.
Ongoing research aims to find the sweet spot where human use and ecological health coexist harmoniously.
As we face the challenges of climate change and seek sustainable solutions, kelp forests stand as a reminder of nature’s resilience and ingenuity.
If we can manage to keep the ocean healthy and harvest sustainably, there may be enough seaweed not just for sushi, but to help us address some of our most pressing environmental challenges.
And who knows? Maybe one day, getting a handful of kelp dumped on you at the beach will be seen not as a prank, but as a blessing from the sea.
You can find my original Noozhawk column here.
Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist
Karen Telleen-Lawton is an eco-writer, sharing information and insights about economics and ecology, finances and the environment. Having recently retired from financial planning and advising, she spends more time exploring the outdoors — and reading and writing about it. The opinions expressed are her own.