Dr Cayne Layton1,2, Ms Eva Smid1, Dr Masayuki Tatsumi1, Assoc Prof Jeffrey Wright1, Prof Craig Johnson1
1Institute For Marine And Antarctic Studies, University Of Tasmania, , , 2Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, ,
Kelp forests are the foundation of the Great Southern Reef, Australia’s continent-wide temperate reef system that supports high levels of biodiversity, endemism, and economic value. Unfortunately, in Australia and elsewhere, kelp forests are declining due to climate change, overgrazing from herbivores, and coastal development and pollution. Globally, some of the most dramatic declines have occurred in Tasmania, Australia, where 95% of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) surface canopies have disappeared since the 1950’s. Habitat restoration is one potential tool for kelp forest conservation, but critically, any restoration intervention must first address the ongoing challenge of climate change that continues to drive giant kelp loss.
Here we outline the key drivers of giant kelp forest loss in Australia – increasing water temperatures and reductions in coastal nutrients – and present a novel restoration approach using more warm-tolerant giant kelp genotypes. We summarise the results of experimental work that has identified high intraspecific variation in thermal tolerance of Macrocystis in Tasmania, and provide an update on (ongoing) restoration field trials using those more warm-tolerant family-lines. We will also briefly introduce components of the broader project looking at the physiology, genetics, and breeding of Macrocystis in Tasmania, and of kelp restoration ecology and decision-making. Ultimately, we aim to provide a foundation for future-proofing efforts to maintain and restore kelp forest resilience in a global ocean-warming hotspot, and to provide risk-management to habitat restoration in a rapidly changing climate.
Presentation Slides – Cayne Layton
Biography:
Cayne is a Research Fellow & Lecturer at the University of Tasmania, where he works on the ecology and restoration of kelp forests and temperate reef systems. He combines scientific diving with field and lab experiments to examine how marine ecosystems function and persist, especially in the face of increasing human-caused stressors. Cayne seeks to answer fundamental ecological questions while also ensuring his research has practical applications for habitat conservation, restoration, and management. Cayne also has a keen interest in Traditional and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, and in the engagement of science with education and policy.
