Solitary Islands Marine Park 2022-23 landform, substrate and ecosystem mapping from MBES, towed-video and sediment surveys (Temperate East)
This record details the mapping of marine 'landforms' (geomorphic features), 'substrate type', and 'ecosystems' classified using multibeam echosounder and marine LiDAR data for the Commonwealth Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP) during 2022-23.
Mapping was conducted using multibeam echosounder (MBES), towed-video and sediment surveys. A bathymetry mosaic was generated using data sourced from the NSW DCCEEW bathymetry mosaic ( https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/aa8f268e-a23d-4d27-b046-f60c45f8349b), updated with MBES data collected within SIMP in 2023. Coupled with sediment sampling and towed video surveys, the data was used to: 1) ground-truth the MBES data, 2) map the extent and characterise the diversity of unconsolidated seabed types; and, 3) map the extent of rocky reefs and characterise sessile invertebrate diversity within these reef-dominated areas.
Seabed ‘landforms’ were derived from the bathymetry mosaic using the Seabed Landforms Classification Toolbox (Linklater et al. 2023). Landform features were subsequently grouped into 'hard' and 'soft' features according to the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme (Lucieer et al. 2019), and additionally labelled with depth zonation to conform to the NESP Natural Values Common Language (Hayes et al. 2021).
This package contains a synthesised seabed classification dataset, with three additional contextual datasets:
• ‘SIMP_SeabedClassified’ defines seabed landforms, and reef and sediment areas delineated by depth intervals (10 m increments) classified according to the Parks Australia Natural Values Ecosystems and Seamap Australia Substratum component. See also https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/f0e83f61-3790-4707-8dfe-2e505fbf3fd3
• ‘SIMP_BathyMosaicSources’ outlines the source coverages of the input bathymetric mosaic (also appended to the synthesised seabed classification dataset described above). See https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/149091 for access to bathymetry and backscatter survey data.
• 'SIMP_TowedVideoSubClass' provides point classifications of the primary seabed substrate from still images derived from towed videos. See https://squidle.org/geodata/explore#map for annotated imagery.
• 'SIMP_Sediments_Metadata' provides the location and associated metadata of sediment grabs. See https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/69869 for access to the analysed sediment data in the MARS database.
The 'Lineage' section of this record provides full methodology and a data dictionary.
Surveys were funded by Parks Australia's Director of Marine Parks (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water) and completed under contract to the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. See Final Project Report: https://australianmarineparks.gov.au/static/11787152636a54d1347a1809da815ed3/amp-simp2024-report.pdf
References:
Lucieer, V., Barrett, N., Butler, C. et al. (2019). A seafloor habitat map for the Australian continental shelf. Sci Data 6, 120. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0126-2
Hayes, K.R., Dunstan, P., Woolley, S. et al. (2021). Designing a targeted monitoring program to support evidence based management of Australian Marine Parks: A pilot on the South-East Marine Parks Network. Report to Parks Australia and the National Environmental Science Program, Marine Biodiversity Hub. Parks Australia, University of Tasmanian and CSIRO, Hobart, Australia, https://www.nespmarine.edu.au/system/files/Hayes%20et%20al_SS2_M8_D7_M4_Designing%20a%20targeted%20monitoring%20program%20to%20support%20evidence-based%20management%20of%20AMPs.pdf.
Linklater, M, Morris, B.D. and Hanslow, D.J. (2023). Classification of seabed landforms on continental and island shelves. Frontiers of Marine Science, 10, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1258556.
Simple
Identification info
- Date (Publication)
- 2024-11-24T00:00:00
Identifier
- Title
- Information and documentation - Digital object identifier system
- Citation identifier
-
ISO 26324:2012
- Code
- 10.25959/HVRX-9P38
- Codespace
- doi.org
- Description
- Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Principal investigator
Collaborator
- Purpose
- The focus for the Solitary Islands Mapping Project 2022-23 was to survey previously unmapped areas within commonwealth waters and complete high-resolution mapping coverage across all 152 km² of the marine park.
- Credit
- Director of Parks, Parks Australia, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Canberra ACT
- Credit
- New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Sydney NSW
- Credit
- Integrated Marine Observing System - Understanding Marine Imagery Sub-facility and Squidle+
- Status
- Completed
Point of contact
- Topic category
-
- Biota
- Oceans
- Geoscientific information
Extent

Temporal extent
- Time period
- 2022-08-31 2023-11-26
Vertical element
- Minimum value
- 7.8
- Maximum value
- 63.6
- Identifier
- EPSG::5715
- Name
- MSL depth
- Maintenance and update frequency
- Not planned
- Keywords (Theme)
-
- Solitary Islands
- Temperate East
- Tweed-Moreton Bioregion
- Temperate
- Sub-tropical
- benthic invertebrates
- seabed
- Gumbayngyirr
- Yaegl
- marine
- habitat mapping
- Keywords (Taxon)
-
- Porifera
- Cnidaria
- Octocoralia
- Antipatharia
- Bryzoa
- Global Change Master Directory Earth Science Keywords, Version 8.5
- AODN Discovery Parameter Vocabulary
-
- Sea-floor depth below surface of the water body
- Biotic taxonomic identification
- sediment grain size relative percentages
- AODN Instrument Vocabulary
-
- multi-beam echosounders
- underwater cameras
- laser particle sizer
Resource constraints
- Linkage
-
https://licensebuttons.net/l/by/4.0/88x31.png
License Graphic
- Title
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
- Alternate title
- CC-BY
- Edition
- 4.0
- Website
-
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License Text
- Other constraints
- Cite data as: Ingleton, T., & Linklater, M. (2024). Solitary Islands Marine Park 2022-23 landform, substrate and ecosystem mapping from MBES, towed-video and sediment surveys (Temperate East) [Data set]. NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. https://doi.org/10.25959/HVRX-9P38
- Other constraints
- This dataset is hosted by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies on behalf of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for the purposes of the Seamap Australia collaborative project.
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
- Supplemental Information
- Ingleton T, Sutherland M, Doszpot, N., Linklater, M., Doyle, T., Cruz, D., Morris, B., Jones, A., Ryall, B., Magos, J., Williams, A., Hanslow, D, and Bilham, K (2024). Mapping and characterising seabed habitats of Australia’s Solitary Islands Marine Park. Report to the Director of National Parks, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Australian Government https://australianmarineparks.gov.au/static/11787152636a54d1347a1809da815ed3/amp-simp2024-report.pdf
Content Information
- Content type
- Physical measurement
- Description
- Seamap Australia 'Substratum' classification derived from original 'Landform' classification
- Name
-
Benthic habitat
- Name
-
SM_HAB_CLS
Identifier
- Name
-
bathymetry
- Identifier
- http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/ULAA
- Name
- Metres
Identifier
- Name
-
seabed backscatter
- Identifier
- http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UDBL
- Name
- Decibels
Identifier
- Name
-
morphospecies
- Identifier
- http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UPMS
- Name
- Number per square metre
Identifier
- Code
- sediment grain size relative percentages
- Identifier
- http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UPCT
- Name
- Percent
Distribution Information
- OnLine resource
-
Final Project Report
Ingleton T, Sutherland M, Doszpot, N., Linklater, M., Doyle, T., Cruz, D., Morris, B., Jones, A., Ryall, B., Magos, J., Williams, A., Hanslow, D, and Bilham, K (2024). Mapping and characterising seabed habitats of Australia’s Solitary Islands Marine Park. Report to the Director of National Parks, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Australian Government.
- OnLine resource
-
https://data.imas.utas.edu.au/attachments/f2493d9e-99f4-4d0c-b0e3-4c75d20915f0/SIMP_SeamapAus_datapkg.zip
DATA ACCESS - download the full data package described by this record [.zip 10MB]
OnLine resource
- Protocol
- OGC:WFS-1.0.0-http-get-feature--shapefile
- Name of the resource
- SHAPE-ZIP
- Description
- Filterable OGC WFS service for seabed landforms, ecosystems and substratum data
- OnLine resource
-
VIEW IMAGERY - Towed Video [Squidle+]
- OnLine resource
-
seamap:SeamapAus_NSW_SolitaryIslandsMP_landforms_2023
Map of seabed landforms, ecosystems and substratum
- OnLine resource
-
Solitary_Islands_Gumbaynggirr_Yaegl_MP_Bathymetry_2022_5m
Map of bathymetry surveys (AusSeabed)
- OnLine resource
-
Solitary_Islands_Gumbaynggirr_Yaegl_MP_Backscatter_2022_5m
Map of backscatter surveys (AusSeabed)
- OnLine resource
-
Seabed_Sediments_Collection
Map of sediment samples (MARS database)
- OnLine resource
-
squidle:deployment_points
Map of towed video deployments (Squidle+)
- OnLine resource
-
NSW Multibeam Echosounder Grids methodology
- OnLine resource
-
NSW Towed Video methodology
- OnLine resource
-
NSW Marine Estate Sediment Grab Sampling methodology
- OnLine resource
-
NSW SIMP Landforms Classification methodology [NSW SEED record]
Resource lineage
- Statement
- Bathymetry and backscatter data were collected aboard NSW DCCEEW using the methodology described in https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/149091. Surveys were completed in-line with the Australian Multibeam Guidelines with general details on the NSW DCCEEW setup and approach provided in Ingleton et al 2019. Towed video and sediment sampling (48 x 200m transects) were completed according to the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub National Sampling Manuals (Przeslawski et al 2018) with more specific detail provided in the Final Project Report (see https://australianmarineparks.gov.au/static/11787152636a54d1347a1809da815ed3/amp-simp2024-report.pdf). Towed-video (n=52) was collected using a tethered system with forward looking video and downward stills (Canon SLR @ 2s) with dual green lasers (100mm separation) and USBL for location of the tow-fish relative to the vessel. Imagery was made accessible via the Squidle+ platform (https://squidle.org) where it was annotated, and imagery and annotations made publicly available. Sediment sampling (n=46) was completed using a Smith-MacIntyre grab with USBL for positioning and Go-Pro for capturing imagery at grab impact point. Samples were qualitatively characterised on-board and then analysed by University of Newcastle for particle size (Particle Sizer) as well as organic matter and carbonate concentrations (Loss on Ignition). Sediment data is available through the AusSeabed MARS database (https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/69869). Seabed ‘landforms’ were derived from the bathymetry mosaic combined with towed video/sediment validation using the Seabed Landforms Classification Toolbox (Linklater et al. 2023), which characterises seabed morphology to classify features as ‘reefs’, ‘peaks’, ‘scarps’, ‘plains’ and ‘depressions and channels’. Landform features were subsequently grouped into 'hard' and 'soft' substrate features and labelled to conform to the NESP Natural Values Common Language (Hayes et al. 2021) and the 'Substratum' component of the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme (Lucieer et al. 2017). -----DATA DICTIONARY----- *Classification of seabed features* SIMP_Geomorph_Ecosys_Substrates.shp • BathySrc = bathymetric data source used in foundation mosaic • DRANGE = depth range in 10 m increments • REEF = binary classification of 'Reef' or 'Other' • LANDFORM = geomorphology landform classification: ‘reefs’, ‘peaks’, ‘scarps’, ‘plains’, ‘depressions and channels’ (see Linklater et al. 2023) • EcoCDepth = NESP/Parks Australia Natural Values Common Language depth zonation • EcoComplex = NESP/Parks Australia Natural Values Common Language 'Ecosystem Complex' categorisation (see Hayes et al. 2021) • Ecosystem = NESP/Parks Australia Natural Values Common Language 'Ecosystem' categorisation (see Hayes et al. 2021) • SM_HAB_CLS = Seamap Australia 'Substratum' component of the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme (see Lucieer et al. 2017) *Bathymetry data sources* SIMP_BathyMosaic_Sources.shp • INPUT = bathymetry data source used in mosaic *Point classification of substrate from towed video* SIMP_TowedVideo_SubstrateClass.shp • TransectID = towed video transect ID • ImageDate = date (UTC) of image (still from video) • ImageTime = time (UTC) of image (still from video) • PrimarySub = primary substratum in image *Sediment sampling metadata* SIMP_Sediments_SamplesRetrieved.shp • SURVEY = survey ID • Site = site ID • TargetName = unique ID of sample • Date = date (UTC) of sample • Time = time (UTC) of sample • Depth = depth of sample • TargetLat = target latitude of sample • TargetLon = target longitude of sample • ShipLat = latitude of ship at time of sample • ShipLon = longitude of ship at time of sample
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
Platform
Identifier
- Code
- Bombora
Instrument
Identifier
Instrument
Identifier
Instrument
Identifier
- Code
- underwater cameras
Instrument
Identifier
- Code
- laser particle sizer
Metadata
- Metadata identifier
-
urn:uuid/f2493d9e-99f4-4d0c-b0e3-4c75d20915f0
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Type of resource
- Resource scope
- Dataset
- Name
- IMAS Dataset level record
- Metadata linkage
-
https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/f2493d9e-99f4-4d0c-b0e3-4c75d20915f0
Point of truth URL of this metadata record
- Date info (Creation)
- 2024-05-22T00:00:00
- Date info (Revision)
- 2025-03-03T13:16:10
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO 19115-3:2018
Overviews
Spatial extent

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