Mr Hunter Forbes1, Dr Elisabeth Strain1,2, Dr Scott Bennett1,2, Dr Scott Ling1, Dr Cayne Layton1,2
1Institute For Marine And Antarctic Studies, Hobart, Australia, 2Centre for Marine Socioecology, Hobart, Australia
Kelp forests are globally widespread and valuable ecosystems that support biodiverse and productive communities. While many species appear dependent on the habitat that kelps create, different kelp species can create distinct forest types, and the extent to which species are dependent on particular forest types remains generally unclear. In Tasmania, Australia, giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests have declined by >95% since the 1950s, prompting their listing as a nationally endangered ecological community. These giant kelp forests have been widely replaced by forests of the smaller, stipitate, golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata). Despite this widespread shift in forest type and abundance, little is known about the identity of the communities associated with these different kelp forests, and whether they support distinct biodiversity. We conducted surveys of the fish and large macroinvertebrates in remnant patches of M. pyrifera forest in south-eastern Tasmania, and within nearby E. radiata forests, to characterise and compare their associated faunal communities. We assessed these kelp forest communities in terms of diversity, abundance, and biomass, and examined whether their faunal composition was related to forest structure such as kelp density and algal diversity. Field measurements were accompanied by a global functional assessment of the faunal communities associated with surface canopy-forming kelp forests relative to sympatric stipitate forests. As conservation and restoration efforts develop for Australia’s endangered giant kelp forests, it is critical to better understand the identity and importance of these ecosystems and how kelp forest structure and type influences their diverse community of associated biodiversity.
Presentation Slides – Hunter Forbes
Biography:
Hunter recently completed his Honours at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. His research so far has focused on examining the biodiversity associated with kelp forests and farms, and he spent his honours comparing the fauna found in different types of Tasmanian kelp forests. He is a keen scientific diver and is passionate about the natural world.
