Artificial kelp crop hopes to save species

Scientists are trialling artificial kelp crops in a bid to maintain stocks of the diminishing marine plant.

Giant kelp forests along the Australian coastline can stand more than 20 metres tall and act as important carbon sinks.

But warming ocean temperatures and increased numbers of the invasive long-spined sea urchin are leading to patchiness in the forests, therefore threatening the hundreds of species that rely on the kelp, say researchers at the University of Tasmania.

In a world-first, scientists have developed an artificial reef off Tasmania's east coast, where they have transplanted 500 kelp plants over a hectare.

Teams will monitor the health of the plants with researcher Cayne Layton saying they will also examine how species such as the rock lobster and abalone rely on kelp.

"Understanding how kelp forests thrive and support themselves from one generation to the next is critical to protecting these invaluable marine ecosystems," he said.

In 2012 the federal government listed as endangered, the giant kelp marine forests off southeast Australia.