Giant Kelp in Tasmania

Tasmania has some of the most extensive beds of Macrocystis in Australia. In Australia, two species of Macrocystis occur: M.pyrifera (Linnaeus)C.Agardh and M.angustifolia Bory.

Macrocystis angustifolia, occurs from Cape Jaffa (South Australia), along the coast of Victoria, to the sheltered north and north-west coast of Tasmania, from low tide level to 10m deep (Womersley 1987), while M.pyrifera appears to be confined to the south-east and east coasts of Tasmania, occurring submaximally or moderately exposed regions with horizontal substrata, mainly in deeper water, where it is dominant in depths of 8-22m (Edgar 1984).

In Tasmania, 'KelpWatch' works to monitor the status of Giant Kelp forests due to their decline over recent years (see Decline of Giant Kelp). Visit What is 'KelpWatch'? for more information about 'KelpWatch' and also the Kelp Research page to find out about the 'Tasmanian Giant Kelp Project'.