IMAS Metadata Catalogue
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
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Time series dataset of depth and activity recorded by miniPAT (Wildlife computers) popup satellite archival tags deployed on Kerguelen sandpaper skates (Bathyraja irrasa, n=24) caught in the Patagonian toothfish longline fishery in Heard Island and McDonald Islands. Tags were deployed to assess the post-release survival of skates in the fishery.
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The data is quantitative abundance of fish, megafaunal invertebrates and percent algal cover derived from underwater visual census methods involving transect counts at rocky reef sites around Tasmania. This dataset allows examination of changes in Tasmanian shallow reef faunal and floral communities over a decadal scale, with initial surveys conducted in 1992-1995, and again in 2006-2007. There are plans for ongoing surveys. An additional component was added in the latter study - a boat ramp study looking at the proximity of boat ramps and their effects of fishing. We analysed underwater visual census data on fishes and macroinvertebrates (abalone and rock lobsters) at 133 shallow rocky reef sites around Tasmania that ranged from 0.6 - 131 km from the nearest boat ramp. These sites were not all the same as those used for the comparison of 1994 and 2006 reef communities. The subset of 133 sites examined in this component consisted of only those sites that were characterized by the two major algal (kelp) types (laminarian or fucoid dominated). Sites with atypical algal assemblages were omitted from the 196 sites surveyed in 2006. This study aimed to examine reef community data for changes at the community level, changes in species richness and introduced species populations, and changes that may have resulted from ocean warming and fishing. The methods are described in detail in Edgar and Barrett (1997). Primarily the data are derived from transects at 5 m depth and/or 10 m depth at each site surveyed. The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities was designed to maximise detection of (i) changes in population numbers and size-structure (ii) cascading ecosystem effects associated with disturbances such as fishing, (iii) long term change and variability in reef assemblages.
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The data is the quantitative abundance of megafaunal invertebrates derived from underwater visual census methods involving transect counts at rocky reef sites around Tasmania. This data forms part of a larger dataset that also surveyed fish abundance and algal cover for the area. The aggregated dataset allows examination of changes in Tasmanian shallow reef floral and faunal communities over a decadal scale - initial surveys were conducted in 1992-1995, and again at the same sites in 2006-2007. There are plans for ongoing surveys. An additional component was added in the latter study - a boat ramp study looking at the proximity of boat ramps and their effects of fishing. We analysed underwater visual census data on fishes and macroinvertebrates (abalone and rock lobsters) at 133 shallow rocky reef sites around Tasmania that ranged from 0.6 - 131 km from the nearest boat ramp. These sites were not all the same as those used for the comparison of 1994 and 2006 reef communities. The subset of 133 sites examined in this component consisted of only those sites that were characterized by the two major algal (kelp) types (laminarian or fucoid dominated). Sites with atypical algal assemblages were omitted from the 196 sites surveyed in 2006. This study aimed to examine reef community data for changes at the community level, changes in species richness and introduced species populations, and changes that may have resulted from ocean warming and fishing. The methods are described in detail in Edgar and Barrett (1997). Primarily the data are derived from transects at 5 m depth and/or 10 m depth at each site surveyed. The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities was designed to maximise detection of (i) changes in population numbers and size-structure (ii) cascading ecosystem effects associated with disturbances such as fishing, (iii) long term change and variability in reef assemblages.
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The data is the percent algal cover derived from underwater visual census methods involving transect counts at rocky reef sites around Tasmania. This data forms part of a larger dataset that also surveyed fish and megafaunal invertebrate abundance for the area. The aggregated dataset allows examination of changes in Tasmanian shallow reef floral and faunal communities over a decadal scale - initial surveys were conducted in 1992-1995, and again at the same sites in 2006-2007. There are plans for ongoing surveys. An additional component was added in the latter study - a boat ramp study looking at the proximity of boat ramps and their effects of fishing. We analysed underwater visual census data on fishes and macroinvertebrates (abalone and rock lobsters) at 133 shallow rocky reef sites around Tasmania that ranged from 0.6 - 131 km from the nearest boat ramp. These sites were not all the same as those used for the comparison of 1994 and 2006 reef communities. The subset of 133 sites examined in this component consisted of only those sites that were characterized by the two major algal (kelp) types (laminarian or fucoid dominated). Sites with atypical algal assemblages were omitted from the 196 sites surveyed in 2006. This study aimed to examine reef community data for changes at the community level, changes in species richness and introduced species populations, and changes that may have resulted from ocean warming and fishing. The methods are described in detail in Edgar and Barrett (1997). Primarily the data are derived from transects at 5 m depth and/or 10 m depth at each site surveyed. The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities was designed to maximise detection of (i) changes in population numbers and size-structure (ii) cascading ecosystem effects associated with disturbances such as fishing, (iii) long term change and variability in reef assemblages.
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This dataset comprises derived bathymetric isobaths (depth contour lines) generated from the Geoscience Australia (GA) AusBathyTopo 250m 2024 gridded bathymetric dataset (https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/150050). The AusBathyTopo 250m grid provides a high-resolution terrain model for Australia, covering ocean and land areas from 92°E to 172°E and 8°S to 60°S at a resolution of 250 metres. The bathymetric contours are clipped to the boundaries of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ: https://amsis-geoscience-au.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/geoscience-au::exclusive-economic-zone-limits/about), and includes all regions including and below Mean Sea Level (MSL). Four contour datasets are provided: 1) 100 m intervals: full EEZ coverage. 2) 5 m intervals: shallow regions between 0–200 m depth (nominally the Australian continental shelf and shallow oceanic features). 3) 1 m intervals: shallow regions between 0–200 m depth. 4) Composite product: Multi-resolution contours with full EEZ coverage, including: • 2 m intervals for depths 0–30 m. • 5 m intervals for depths 30–100 m. • 10 m intervals for depths 100–200 m. • 50 m intervals for depths 200–2,000 m. • 100 m intervals for depths 2,000–8,000 m. These contour datasets are intended for use in marine spatial planning, mapping visualisation, and broad-scale analysis. Due to the smoothing procedures applied during their creation the are not suitable for engineering or high-precision applications. The contours presented through the Web Mapping Services (WMS) linked to this record are optimised for visualisation purposes and have been simplified using a tolerance of 10 meters for efficient rendering in mapping applications. For users requiring full-resolution data, the download packages include the original, unsimplified contour products.
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Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests are a foundational habitat that dominates many nearshore rocky coastlines in temperate and cold-water regions worldwide. Macrocystis forests can extend as much as 40 m to the surface and form closed canopies that alter the light, current, and sedimentation environment beneath them. They play an ecosystem-structuring function and provide habitat for a diverse range of fish and invertebrate species. The coastal waters of Tasmania represent the most extensive giant kelp habitat in Australia. Dense forests have historically covered large areas of the nearshore reef habitat, but significant declines have been recorded in eastern Tasmania in recent decades. These losses are thought to be linked to environmental stressors such as extended periods of high water movement, warming sea temperatures, and nutrient depletion. Eastern Tasmania has experienced some of the most pronounced declines, leading to the 2012 listing of the giant kelp community as an ‘endangered marine community type’ under Australia’s Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. This dataset uses Landsat satellite imagery to quantifiy the spatial extent and temporal variability of giant kelp surface canopies along the Tasmanian coastline to address gaps in long-term monitoring. The data collection is divided into two components: 1) A statewide analysis that maps the extent of Macrocystis pyrifera canopies across the whole Tasmanian coastline, grouped into nine three-year bins spanning 1987–2015. This long-term dataset is intended for assessing long-term (decadal) changes at a broad spatial scale. 2) A higher temporal-resolution analysis of 24 specific sites along the Tasmanian coastline. This dataset includes canopy coverage from all cloud-free Landsat imagery captured over the period 1986-2015 to enable detailed analysis of seasonal and interannual fluctuations in kelp canopy extent and understand localised population dynamics.
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This file contains data and associated R code for producing the figures, tables and analysis/models within the manuscript Ferderer et al., Carbonate chemistry fitness landscapes inform diatom resilience to future perturbations. Data was collected at IMAS by Aaron Ferderer.
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The data is the quantitative abundance of fish derived from underwater visual census methods involving transect counts at rocky reef sites around Tasmania. This data forms part of a larger dataset that also surveyed megafaunal invertebrate abundance and algal cover for the area. The aggregated dataset allows examination of changes in Tasmanian shallow reef floral and faunal communities over a decadal scale - initial surveys were conducted in 1992-1995, and again at the same sites in 2006-2007. There are plans for ongoing surveys. An additional component was added in the latter study - a boat ramp study looking at the proximity of boat ramps and their effects of fishing. We analysed underwater visual census data on fishes and macroinvertebrates (abalone and rock lobsters) at 133 shallow rocky reef sites around Tasmania that ranged from 0.6 - 131 km from the nearest boat ramp. These sites were not all the same as those used for the comparison of 1994 and 2006 reef communities. The subset of 133 sites examined in this component consisted of only those sites that were characterized by the two major algal (kelp) types (laminarian or fucoid dominated). Sites with atypical algal assemblages were omitted from the 196 sites surveyed in 2006. This study aimed to examine reef community data for changes at the community level, changes in species richness and introduced species populations, and changes that may have resulted from ocean warming and fishing. The methods are described in detail in Edgar and Barrett (1997). Primarily the data are derived from transects at 5 m depth and/or 10 m depth at each site surveyed. The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities was designed to maximise detection of (i) changes in population numbers and size-structure (ii) cascading ecosystem effects associated with disturbances such as fishing, (iii) long term change and variability in reef assemblages.
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The phenotypic plasticity of habitat-forming seaweeds was investigated with a transplant experiment in which juvenile Ecklonia radiata and Phyllospora comosa were transplanted from NSW (warm conditions) to Tasmania (cool conditions) and monitored for four months. We used multiple performance indicators (growth, photosynthetic characteristics, pigment content, chemical composition, stable isotopes, nucleic acids) to assess the ecophysiology of seaweeds before and following transplantation between February 2012 and June 2012.
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This record described kelp growth and ecophysiological data relevant to the thermal tolerance of specific warm-tolerant and 'normal' family-lines of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) from Tasmania, Australia. For habitat restoration to be effective, the cause of habitat decline must be understood and overcome. But 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, identified warmwater-tolerant strains of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) from remnant patches in eastern Tasmania, where the species has experienced severe declines over the past half-century due to climate change and ocean-warming. While these strains have high potential to assist with ‘future-proofing’ of kelp forest restoration activities, it is still unclear what the physiological mechanisms are that provide their improved thermal tolerance. Here we cultivated the warm-tolerant giant kelp strains, along with giant kelp strains of normal tolerance, at both cool (16 °C) and warm temperatures (20 °C). We then harvested the juvenile kelp, and examined a suite of physiological traits that may be responsible for their differences in thermal tolerance, including nutrient usage (carbon and nitrogen content), cellular membrane processes (fatty acid contents), and photosynthesis (PAM fluorometry and photosynthetic pigments). The cultivation trials again illustrated the improved ability of the warm-tolerant strains to develop at stressful warm temperatures relative to normal giant kelp. For the first time, we also demonstrate that their improved thermal performance may extend to the development and fertilisation of the earlier kelp ‘gametophyte’ life-stage. Despite the clear differences in growth between the two test groups, the physiological assessments illustrated a complex pattern of responses, some of which are contrary to expected based on prior knowledge of thermal performance in kelps. Nonetheless, our results indicate that the warm-tolerant strains of giant kelp have a greater capacity to alter the composition of their fatty acids and may be more efficient users of nitrogen (a key nutrient for growth and development). This new information will help inform ongoing kelp breeding and selection programs for future-proofing kelp restoration in Australia and globally. This improved understanding of the physiology of kelp thermal tolerance might also help with identifying individuals and populations of Macrocystis, and other kelps, that may be resilient to (or especially threatened by) ocean warming and climate change.