This dataset contains temporal and compositional data on the Southern Ocean Time Series (SOTS) 1000 m depth sediment trap between 2010 and 2019. This study has added new data on 40 trace metals and isotopes (TEIs) in addition to the sinking particle flux data available on the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN portal) and published in Wynn-Edwards et al. (2020; Frontiers in Earth Science). The TEI data was collected by strong acid digestion of archived SOTS 1000 m sinking particle samples collected from sediment trap deployments from 2010 to 2019. Following digestion, sinking particle samples were analysed for TEI concentration at the UTAS Central Science Laboratory using High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS). The data presented here contains TEI concentration data, elemental fluxes calculated from the sediment trap mass fluxes (Wynn-Edwards et al., 2020) and a range of lithogenic particle fluxes derived from various upper continental crust concentrations reported in the literature. Several iterations of lithogenic flux are included for key lithogenic tracers Al, Fe, Ti and Th, with some mean fluxes of the combination of these tracers included. Here, several multi-tracer lithogenic fluxes are included based on the inclusion of Th concentrations using isotope dilution or linear calibration methods. The final lithogenic fluxes used in the publication are linearly calibrated Al, Ti, Fe and Th flithogenic fluxes and the mean value of these four tracers. Additional V and Pb tracer concentrations were used to assess anthropogenic influences. These results were used to estimate seasonal and interannual lithogenic particle flux in the subantarctic Southern Ocean. Additionally, particle composition, sources and provenance were examined using the attached data. The findings were used to provide an estimate of dust deposition in the subantarctic Southern Ocean south of Australia, contextualised by particle trajectory reanalysis, satellite data products and biogeochemical processes.

This record describes Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) imagery collected from within the Gascoyne Marine Park offshore northwestern Australia. The ROV SuBastian was used to conduct imagery transects on 20 dives across 16 stations, including 12 quantitative transects within the Cape Range Canyon. No quantitative transects were conducted in the Cloates Canyon due to delays caused by poor weather. SuBastian is equipped with a Sulis Subsea Z70 deep sea science camera, with 4K UHD 2160p optics and sensors for temperature, depth, conductivity and oxygen. The quantitative transects were run for 500 m upslope, ideally at a speed of 0.3 knots and an altitude of 2 m above the seafloor or rock walls. Still images were acquired every 5 seconds, with additional frames added manually as required. Still images from most transects were primarily annotated onboard using the RV Falkor’s private instance of SQUIDLE+, with some post-survey annotation conducted using the public instance of Squidle+ (http://squidle.org/). See post-survey report for full methodology. http://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/144204

The South China Sea (SCS) is the most important source of water vapor for the East Asian monsoon (EAM). Late Cenozoic (~34–30 Ma) opening of the SCS likely contributed significantly to the establishment of a strong, modern-like EAM at ~25 Ma per climate sensitivity studies. However, the importance of SCS tectonics in contributing to the evolution of the EAM has been neglected due to the temporal mismatch between both events (5–9 million years). Here, we investigate the bathymetric, sedimentary and oceanographic evolution of the SCS basin by combining Sr-Nd isotopic analyses of rift- to drift sediments from recent ocean drilling expeditions, high-resolution paleobathymetry reconstructions and ocean circulation simulations of this crucial time period. We show that the transition from fluvial, to shallow- and deep-marine environment in the SCS and its opening to the Pacific Ocean occurred well after the onset of seafloor spreading. We highlight a rapid (<1 myr), “flooding” event of Pacific bottom waters entering the young SCS through the narrow Luzon Strait between 25.5–24.5 Ma, coinciding with the strengthening EAM pattern. This shift is underscored by isotopic analysis of detrital fractions which suggest a change in provenance from local sources to inland China deserts and Loess signal shortly before ~25.5 Ma, likely transported as eolian dust by intensifying winter monsoon winds. Tectonic-driven rapid Pacific flooding likely increased the east-west humidity gradient between land and sea and contributed to the establishment of a modern-like, strong EAM at 25 Ma.

This resource includes bathymetry data for Arafura Marine Park (Arafura Sea) collected by Geoscience Australia (GA) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science during the period 2 – 15 November 2020 on the RV Solander. The survey was undertaken as a collaborative project funded through the National Environmental Science Program Marine Biodiversity Hub, with co-investment by GA and AIMS. The purpose of the project was to build baseline information for benthic habitats in Arafura Marine Park that will support ongoing environmental monitoring within the North Marine Park Network as part of the 10-year management plan (2018-2028). Data acquisition for the project included multibeam bathymetry and backscatter for two areas (Money Shoal and Pillar Bank), seabed samples and underwater imagery of benthic communities and demersal fish. This bathymetry dataset contains a 6 m resolution 32-bit geotiff of the survey areas produced from the processed EM2040C Dual Head system using CARIS HIPS and SIPS software. A detailed report on the survey is provided in: Picard, K. Stowar, M., Roberts, N., Siwabessy, J., Abdul Wahab, M.A., Galaiduk, R., Miller, K., Nichol, S. 2021. Arafura Marine Park Post Survey Report. Report to the National Environmental Science Program, Marine Biodiversity Hub.

This dataset comprises summaries of sight and resight data compiled for the NESP MBH project A13 and derived from data housed in the Australian Right Whale Photo Identification Catalogue (ARWPIC) and associated effort summaries. These summaries have been compiled as part of an analysis of mark recapture information in establishing trends in the population and spatial connectivity of individuals across southern Australia. The summaries are based on original sightings data collected across 1990-2018 by ARWPIC partners. The ARWPIC is housed at the Australian Antarctic Division and managed by the Australian Marine Mammal Centre.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub bridging study - "Future-proofing restoration & thermal physiology of kelp". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Kelp forests create complex habitats that support a diverse and productive community of marine life. They underpin coastal food-webs, fisheries, and a suite of other ecosystem services including nutrient and blue carbon cycling. Across much of the world, kelp forests are in decline and under threat from stressors including urbanisation, overgrazing, ocean warming, and marine heatwaves driven by climate change. Australia’s giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests are listed as a Threatened Ecological Community under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Habitat restoration is a potential tool for the conservation and management of giant kelp ecosystems. Given the direct impacts of climate change and ocean warming, there is growing recognition of the need for habitat restoration to be ‘future proofed’. For restoration to be effective, the cause of habitat decline must be understood and overcome. This is problematic when climate change is driving habitat loss since it cannot be reversed or ameliorated prior to restoration. A previous NESP project led by this team (Project E7, Marine Biodiversity Hub) identified warm-tolerant strains of giant kelp from remnant patches in eastern Tasmania, where the species has experienced precipitous declines due to ocean-warming. These strains have high potential to assist with ‘future-proofing’ kelp forest restoration, however it is still unclear what the physiological mechanisms are that provide their improved thermal tolerance. It is also unknown whether cross-breeding the identified warm-tolerant giant kelp strains will affect and potentially improve their thermal tolerance capacity. This project explored the physiology of kelp thermal performance, specifically the mechanisms potentially responsible for the warm water tolerance identified in particular giant kelp strains. It confirmed the improved ability of the warm-tolerant strains to develop at stressful warm temperatures relative to normal giant kelp, and demonstrated for the first time that their improved thermal performance may extend to the development and fertilisation. The outcomes progress toward the identification of populations of Australian kelp that may be resilient to (or especially threatened by) ocean warming and climate change. Outputs • Ecophysiological measurements from laboratory experiments of warm-tolerant vs average giant kelp genotypes [dataset] • Final Project Report including a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]

Sediment organic carbon assessments within plots of transplanted Posidonia australis seagrass, and compared to adjacent bare sand and healthy meadows, in Shark Bay, WA.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub bridging study - "Support for Parks Australia’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement System for Australian Marine Parks". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The system of marine parks that spans Australia’s Commonwealth waters is among the largest in the world. The parks play a major role in conserving marine life, supporting commercial and recreational pursuits, and help to protect cultural values significant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Parks Australia has developed management plans for the five regional Australian Marine Park (AMP) networks (North, North-west, South-west, South-east and Temperate East) and the Coral Sea Marine Park. Under each management plan, a science plan sets monitoring and research priorities to guide the collection of information to evaluate management effectiveness, and identify opportunities for improvement. This prioritisation is vital given the low levels of knowledge for most of the AMPs, the technical challenges and high cost of implementing science in vast and remote areas, the finite resources available for park management, and the complexity of the decision-making process. This project provided Parks Australia with scientific and technical information and advice necessary to establish monitoring priorities for natural values and pressures for AMP networks and the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). Taken together with previous work completed under the Marine Biodiversity Hub (projects SS2 and D7), this completes a full national priority list for monitoring in AMPs. The combined research provides a nationally accepted common language to describe natural values and pressures in a science-based approach to combining this information to determine national priorities. The Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system is the first national process of its type globally and is a significant step towards adaptive, integrated and place-based management. Activities undertaken by this project collated and analysed environmental and human use-data for each of the AMP networks and the CSMP. The key data outputs and Final Project Report identify the monitoring priorities in each Network and the CSMP, and help to identify key knowledge gaps to help inform future research priorities. These steps can be repeated through time alongside improvements in the evidence base and our understanding of how ecosystems respond to multi-sectoral activities to achieve continual improvement in management actions and environmental outcomes, Outputs • Digital map layers per AMP network of: (1) Ecosystems (2) Pressures & Activities (3) Cumulative Impacts • Final Technical Report containing maps of Key Natural Values, and of spatial Monitoring Priorities, including a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "A national framework for improving seagrass restoration". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Seagrasses provide resources and ecosystem services critical to the health of coastal ecosystems and human populations. They increase water clarity, stabilise sediments and reduce coastal erosion, sequester carbon, and provide habitat and food to marine animals, including commercially important fish and invertebrates. Across Australia, the loss of >275,000 ha of seagrass meadows and associated ecosystem services – valued at AU$ 5.3 billion – has contributed to the long-term degradation of estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems. Restoration of seagrass is critical for improving the health and function of these ecosystems and sustaining coastal communities and industries that depend on them. This is primarily because restoration practices are piecemeal and driven by local drivers and are generally not conducted at scales of seagrass loss. This project addressed this problem by bringing together scientists and key stakeholders to collate knowledge on seagrass ecology and restoration and generated a framework to scaling-up restoration nationally. It also build on ongoing restoration trials to test the proposed framework: assessing sediment quality and manipulations (Gamay Rangers, UNSW); use of sediment filled hessian tubes for seed and seedling capture (Malgana Rangers, UWA), and: scaling up seed collection for seed-based restoration (Seeds for Snapper, OZFISH, UWA). Outputs • Effect of sediment quality and manipulation on seagrass transplant success [field data] • Locations and health of beachcast fragments of Posidonia in Botany Bay [field data] • Effect of engineering hydrodynamics (by use of hessian socks) on seagrass transplant success [field data] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub bridging study - "Characterising values and identifying indicators and metrics of fish and benthic assemblages within the Capes region of the South-west Corner Marine Park". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Inventory surveys of Australian Marine Parks (AMPs) provide a broad description of the natural assets that exist in Commonwealth waters. These data can be further explored to identify biological indicators and metrics to cost-effectively monitor the AMPs and inform the AMP Monitoring Evaluation Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system. Historical surveys conducted under the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub inventoried natural values and ecosystem components in selected AMPs. They developed and tested standardised survey techniques to allows scientists and park managers to identify and measure the status of natural values and ecosystem components. A recent Marine Biodiversity Hub survey conducted bathymetric and visual sampling of key seafloor habitat and fish assemblages in the Capes region of South-west Corner Marine Park (Western Australia). This present project analysed the this data inventory, characterised and predicted the broader distribution of significant features and natural values, and outlined the underlying techniques and processes. This enabled the identification of important natural values and indicators of fish and benthic assemblages relevant to park management and the AMP MERI system. The new knowledge was presented together with a summary of existing knowledge of park natural values, socio-economic values, cultural values, and pressures. Future work is recommended to create national and international benchmarks, and obtain additional survey guidance from Traditional Owners. Outputs • Habitat annotations to (1) AUV and (2) drop camera imagery following nationally agreed protocols (extended CATAMI classification - the Australian morphospecies catalogue) [dataset] • Bathymetry from National Park and Special Protection zones [dataset] • Geomorphic features map for existing fine scale bathymetry coverage of the National Park and Special Protection zones [dataset] • Habitat map for existing fine scale bathymetry coverage (validated from from drop camera surveys for National Park and Special Protection zones [dataset] • Fish and shark annotations of stereo-BRUV deployments [dataset] • Science communication article for the Australian Marine Parks Science Atlas [written] • South-west Corner Marine Park survey report [written]