Online and Sandy Bay
Summary:Mobilising science, industries & communities to restore giant kelp forests
Presenter(s):
- Professor Scott Ling, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania
More than 95 per cent of Tasmania's giant kelp forests have disappeared as warming waters and invasive sea urchins transform reef ecosystems along our coastline.
Marine ecologist Professor Scott Ling has spent decades diving on Tasmania's reefs to understand why productive ecosystems collapse and what it takes for them to recover. Restoring the giant kelp forests in Tasmania has become a key focus of his work in scaling-up solutions to repair reef ecosystems.
In this Island of Ideas keynote, Scott will take us inside one of Tasmania's most ambitious marine restoration efforts. From reducing sea urchin numbers and rebuilding rock lobster populations, to ‘seaweeding’ competing algae and out-planting giant kelp, he will explore how scientists, industry, and communities are working together to help the giant kelp.
Can we safeguard remnant giant kelp forests and bring them back where they’ve been lost in recent decades? And what might their capacity for recovery teach us about resilience in a rapidly changing ocean?
Professor Scott Ling
Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania
Professor Scott Ling is a marine ecologist and current ARC Future Fellow at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. His research focuses on how and why productive reef ecosystems collapse into impoverished low-value systems that can be difficult to reverse. He is interested in defining critical tipping-points and early-warning signs for reefs exposed to increasing, but ostensibly manageable human stressors including overfishing, invasive species and urbanisation in combination with climate change. His research approach is founded on a strong understanding of natural history gained from extensive SCUBA-based surveys and critical field experiments to reveal key mechanisms driving reef ecosystems.
Parking:
Free parking, including accessible spaces, is available at the venue.
Pre-event refreshments:
Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.
Subscribe:
Find out about future events, and subscribe to our mailing list for Island of Ideas updates.
Find out more:
Want to learn more about the University of Tasmania's Island of Ideas public talks series? Catch-up on past events, register for upcoming talks or get in touch with us via our Island of Ideas webpage
Photo Credit: Jarrod Boord
