Shafts of sunlight radiate through a green sea. This blazing light is the vital source of energy used by the countless billions of plankton which grow every spring and summer in the world's temperate sea, the richest of all habitats. Forests of giant kelp, the fastest growing plant in the world, harbour thousands of animals. Sharks move in to pick off the vulnerable. Sea otters, brilliantly coloured anemones, squid and exquisite leafy dragons are just a few of the other creatures that live in this cool, rich water.