research vessel
Type of resources
Topics
Keywords
Contact for the resource
Provided by
Years
-
Bathymetry and Side Scan Sonar transects taken in various project locations within South Australian state waters. For analysis of seabed topography and interpretation of benthic substrate and flora.
-
The Marine Futures Project was designed to benchmark the current status of key Western Australian marine ecosystems, based on an improved understanding of the relationship between marine habitats, biodiversity and our use of these values. Approximately 1,500 km2 of seafloor were mapped using hydroacoustics (Reson 8101 Multibeam), and expected benthic habitats "ground-truthed" using towed video transects and baited remote underwater video systems. Both sources of information were then combined in a spatial predictive modelling framework to produce fine-scale habitat maps showing the extent of substrate types, biotic formations, etc. Surveys took place across 9 study areas, including Geographe Bay in the southwest Capes region. The marine environment at this location varies from extensive seagrass meadows in protected waters, to kelp-dominated granite and limestone reefs in areas of high wave energy. A small number of corals are also found throughout the region, reflecting the influence of the southward flow of the Leeuwin Current. The fish fauna is also diverse, with a high proportion of endemic species.
-
The Marine Futures Project was designed to benchmark the current status of key Western Australian marine ecosystems, based on an improved understanding of the relationship between marine habitats, biodiversity and our use of these values. Approximately 1,500 km2 of seafloor were mapped using hydroacoustics (Reson 8101 Multibeam), and expected benthic habitats "ground-truthed" using towed video transects and baited remote underwater video systems. Both sources of information were then combined in a spatial predictive modelling framework to produce fine-scale habitat maps showing the extent of substrate types, biotic formations, etc. Surveys took place across 9 study areas, including the Abrolhos Islands, a group of 122 limestone outcrops surrounded by fringing reed ca. 60km west from the city of Geraldton. The Abrolhos research location is the most northerly of the Marine Futures sampling sites, selected due to the unique mixture of tropical coral reef habitats, and temperate reef and seagrass communities.The hydroacoustics data were processed to construct full coverage maps of bathymetry and textural information.
-
The Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Reserve complements the Port Davey Marine Reserve (encompassing Port Davey, Bathurst Channel and Bathurst Harbour), which was proclaimed by the Tasmanian Government in 2005. It spans the continental shelf, continental slope and deeper water ecosystems south of Tasmania, and is scored by steep canyons. It also encloses other geological features, including steep escarpments and troughs, saddles, basins, and part of a plateau that is over 400 km long and rises up to 3 km above the sea floor. The reserve includes a number of undersea peaks rising to less than 1500 m below the sea surface that provide habitat to deepwater hard corals. These corals provide a structure and habitat for a rich diversity of marine invertebrate animals that live attached corals. This record describes a geomorphology map for the Tasman Fracture CMR that was prepared using bathymetry and backscatter data sourced from CSIRO and Geoscience Australia.
-
Point data collected from video drops identifying benthic habitats such as seagrass, macroalgae and reef, collected during field work in 2007 to 2011. Used to support the Benthic Habitat Mapping project undertaken by DENR to map the nearshore benthic habitats of South Australia
-
This data was collected to improve our knowledge and understanding of the marine environment in the upper reaches of East and Middle Arms (Darwin Harbour), to assist planning and sustainable development for the new township. Data provide polygon data that map the benthic habitats (12 physical and biological categories) in the upper reaches of the harbour using remote-sensed and survey data. This dataset is being continually updated and is current as of 03/03/2016.
-
The Marine Futures Project was designed to benchmark the current status of key Western Australian marine ecosystems, based on an improved understanding of the relationship between marine habitats, biodiversity and our use of these values. Approximately 1,500 km2 of seafloor were mapped using hydroacoustics (Reson 8101 Multibeam), and expected benthic habitats "ground-truthed" using towed video transects and baited remote underwater video systems. Both sources of information were then combined in a spatial predictive modelling framework to produce fine-scale habitat maps showing the extent of substrate types, biotic formations, etc. Surveys took place across 9 study areas, including Jurien Bay. The Jurien Bay marine environment is highly diverse, and is home to a wide variety of species, including sea lions and sea birds on the many offshore islands. Limestone reef and seagrass habitats in the area support a diverse fish and invertebrate fauna, and a local crayfishing industry is based around the Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus cygnus).
-
Thorium-234 samples were collected to determine the particulate organic carbon (POC) export fluxes in two East Antarctica polynyas, Dalton and Mertz. The samples were collected along the water column using the CTD deployed at several stations. The seawater Th-234 data was used in combination with POC:234Th ratios obtained from particulate samples collected using in situ pumps in order to derive the POC fluxes. This record describes Th-234 and U-238_data: sample ID, depth, CTD file, station ID, latitude and longitude, Th-234 concentration and its uncertainty, U-238 concentration and its uncertainty. See linked record for associated POC data from Aurora Australis Voyage 2 2016/17.
-
Rocky reefs form an important habitat on the continental shelf and one subject to disproportionate fishing pressure given the high productivity of this habitat relative to adjacent sandy seabed. Despite this, little is known of the extent and nature of these systems beyond their value to the fishing industry. This project collated all known mapping data from government and industry (including data acquired during CERF and NERP Hubs) to provide an updated map of this key habitat around Australia. A geomorphological classification system is also being developed for these reefs, and associated cross-shelf habitats with the aim of it being accepted and adopted nationally, and it is being tested and refined for biological applicability. This record describes the national habitat map data product generated from multiple datasets collated as part of NESP MBH Project D3. The individual habitat mapping datasets collected as part of the data collation process have also been published and are linked to this record.
-
A comprehensive and detailed multibeam sonar-based map of the shelf-break region of the Central Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR). It illustrates the extent that several canyon-head incisions are present in this region, and that inset from the shelf-break is a relatively extensive area of cross-shelf reef. Some of the canyon-head incisions are characterised by exposed reef areas, and these are indicated by localised regions of rapid change in depth. The cross-shelf reef is generally very low profile, but characterised by distinct reef ledges where bedding planes in the sedimentary rock types have eroded. These ledges, often between 1-2 m in height, can run for several kilometres as distinct features. The method of data extraction is based on Lucieer (2013). Three are three classes of seafloor map- one from GEOBIA, one from digitisation and one from Probability of Hardness based on Angular Profile Correction. Lucieer, V (2013) NERP broad-scale analysis of multibeam acoustic data from the Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve, Prepared for the National Environmental Research Program. Internal report. IMAS, Hobart, TAS [Contract Report]