This global meta-analysis documents data from underwater visual surveys used to determine the effect of kelp bed disturbance and canopy density on the abundance and structure of fish communities. Spatial, temporal and ontogenetic variability of many key fish species was examined at various levels of kelp disturbance at sites spanning a global temperate distribution. Rocky reef habitats and fisheries management regimes of sites were also examined as covariates.

The data here presented shows the relationship between sea urchin numbers and algal cover in the Western Mediterranean. Data was collected in several underwater surveys using subdivided quadrats. The grazing effect of urchins on the macroalgal community was evaluated.

This global meta-analysis documents seasonal and interannual variability in the structure of reef-based kelp dominated communities. Temporal trends in kelp biomass, stipe density, percent cover, and rates of change of kelp density are measured across various ecoregions in global temperate zones. Data is supplied in two formats: (1) raw long table = taxon-level observations (2) aggregated table = site/date-level time series, with taxa collapsed into a focalKelp metric

This dataset describes the relative abundance of an assemblage of commercially exploited pelagic fishes around Western Australia, mapped over a 30 arc-minute (0.5 degree) spatial grid. The data cover the period 1997-2006 and are derived from an analysis of commercial landings available through the Sea Around Us Project (http://www.seaaroundus.org/). Further details can be found in the following peer-reviewed publication: Bouchet PJ, Meeuwig JJ, Huang Z, Letessier TBL, Nichol SL, Caley MJ, Watson RA. 2017. Continental-scale hotspots of pelagic fish abundance inferred from commercial catch records. Global Ecology and Biogeography. DOI: 10.1111/geb.12619 Below is a full list of species considered, with their respective contributions to the total catch (%): -------------------------------------------------- Greenback horse mackerel / Trachurus declivis -- 10.92 % Greater amberjack / Seriola dumerili -- 0.05 % Samson fish / Seriola hippos -- 0.01 % Silver gemfish / Rexea solandri -- 2.80 % Snoek / Thyrsites atun -- 1.22 % Indo-Pacific blue marlin / Makaira mazara -- 2.87 % Striped marlin / Tetrapturus audax -- 0.26 % Black marlin / Makaira indica -- 0.17 % Indo-Pacific sailfish / Istiophorus platypterus -- 0.06 % Shortbill spearfish / Tetrapturus angustirostris -- 0.00 % Bluefish / Pomatomus saltatrix -- 0.13 % Southern bluefin tuna / Thunnus maccoyii -- 19.17 % Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel / Scomberomorus commerson -- 16.93 % Skipjack tuna / Katsuwonus pelamis -- 9.82 % Yellowfin tuna / Thunnus albacares -- 9.40 % Bigeye tuna / Thunnus obesus -- 7.67 % Albacore tuna / Thunnus alalunga -- 4.16 % Longtail tuna / Thunnus tonggol -- 0.78 % Kawakawa (mackerel tuna) / Euthynnus affinis -- 0.56 % Wahoo / Acanthocybium solandri -- 0.01 % Great barracuda / Sphyraena barracuda -- 0.25 % Tope shark / Galeorhinus galeus -- 6.66 % Swordfish / Xiphias gladius -- 6.09 %

Inshore benthic habitat mapping of the Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges (AMLR), Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, Upper Spencer Gulf, Upper Gulf St Vincent, South East and Kangaroo Island as part of a wider DEWNR project to map specific areas of the South Australian inshore environments Habitat boundaries were interpreted from underwater features discernable on ortho-rectified aerial photographs. The data for the Upper Gulf St Vincent and Upper Spencer Gulf were captured between 2005 and 2007. AMLR data was captured between 2008 and 2009. South East data was captured between 2009 and 2010. Field observations and underwater video footage was used to capture the Upper Spencer Gulf and Upper Gulf St Vincent data. The AMLR data was captured from field observations, underwater video footage, acoustic mapping and sidescan sonar. The data sets were combined as part of a DENR Statewide project. Additional data was captured on Kangaroo Island during 2013 which included field observations and Underwater video footage. This data was added by regional staff using an adapted data schema that now includes species specific information.

The Tasman Fracture CMR AUV survey was a pilot study undertaken in 2014/15 as part of the National Marine Biodiversity Hub's National monitoring, evaluation and reporting theme. The aim of this theme is to develop a blueprint for the sustained monitoring of the South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network. The particular aim of the survey was to contribute to an inventory of the distribution and abundance of southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsi). Data contained here represents the data collected from lobster potting component of the study. This includes lobster abundance, gender and length. Bycatch is also recorded.

The Flinders CMR AUV survey was a pilot study undertaken in June 2013 as part of the National Marine Biodiversity Hub's National monitoring, evaluation and reporting theme. The aim of this theme is to develop a blueprint for the sustained monitoring of the South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network. The particular aim of the survey was to contribute to an inventory of the distribution and cover of epibenthic biota in the reserve using IMOS AUV 'Sirius'. Data contained here represents a scored subset of the ~ 36,700 images collected at the Flinders CMR. Images were scored for proportion cover of visible macrobiota using 25 random points superimposed on each image. Taxon were biologically classified using CATAMI (http://catami.org/).