This project used marine benthic imagery and fine-scale oceanographic data to refine existing models of the contemporary circumpolar distribution of Antarctic benthic biodiversity, and used oceanographic models developed in the ACEAS program to generate spatial predictions of the distribution of various aspects on benthic biodiversity and blue carbon under future climate scenarios. ***Access to data is currently embargoed, to be made available ~June 2026***

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are globally endangered and culturally significant to Indigenous Traditional Owners in northern Australia, yet fine-scale understanding of their foraging habitats remains poorly understood, especially along Australia's remote north-coast. This project mapped green turtle foraging habitats in the Northern Territory, through collaboration with Indigenous Traditional Owners and ranger groups, to assist with their sea country management. Visual classifications of towed video transect data were used in a Support Vector Machine Learning Model to predict habitat in 379 km² of remotely sensed satellite imagery, overlapping the benthic habitats for two green turtle foraging grounds within the joint managed parks: Trepang Bay, Garig Gunak Barlu Marine Park, and Field Island, Kakadu National Park. Algae and seagrass made up 30% of the Trepang Bay and 18.05% of the Field Island foraging turtle habitat. The classification accuracy of the model showed a high level of agreement at both sites (0.63 for Trepang Bay and 0.75 for Field Island). These habitats provide good foraging grounds for green turtles and the diversity of marine habitats also allows for a range of different age classes of green turtles to use these sites for a range of other behaviours, e.g. resting and predator avoidance. The simplicity and repeatability of the field methods used in this study allow for future monitoring of marine habitats in remote areas by ranger groups. The findings are useful for conservation planning, including the development of management plans in the Northern Territory.

Between 2009-2012, Geoscience Australia conducted three surveys to Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and the Timor Sea on the R.V. Solander, in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Science and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The study areas overlapped the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve and the carbonate banks and terraces within it. The surveys were conducted as part of the Australian Government's Energy Security Program (2007-2011) and the National Environment Research Program (2011-2015). On the surveys, a benthic sled was deployed to collect biological samples from the seafloor. Samples were sorted onboard according to phylum, photographed and then sent to taxonomists for species-level identifications. This dataset provides a list of all identified sponge species. The associated image catalogue of collected sponges can be accessed here: https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/1216e0f4-099c-49f6-96f7-ed3eadc0cd15

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.

Aerial surveys of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) were undertaken off the southern Australian coast to monitor the recovery of this endangered species following extreme 19th and 20th Century commercial whaling. The aerial survey was undertaken in the coastal waters from Perth (Western Australia) to Ceduna (South Australia) between the 12th and 19th August 2022, to maintain the annual series of surveys and inform the long-term population trend. The survey resulted in a total 526 whales sighted, consisting of 247 cow-calf pairs, 31 unaccompanied adults and 1 yearling. The ‘western’ population of southern right whales in Australian waters is increasing in size (~5.3% per year based on female/calf pairs and a population estimate of 2675 whales) based on the long-term population trend data from the annual aerial surveys. This represents the majority of the Australian population given the very low numbers in the ‘eastern’ population. The 2022 surveys recorded the lowest number of unaccompanied animals (i.e. males and females without a calf) ever throughout the time-series of the annual aerial surveys since 1993 when survey coverage between Cape Leeuwin and Ceduna first began. Across this time series, there is a particularly notable decline in sightings of unaccompanied animals over the past five years. It is currently unclear what factors account for the decline in these sightings or may influence the variation in numbers of unaccompanied animals on the southern Australian coast. Lower than expected counts in the long-term data may provide evidence of a slowing population growth rate, which can only be assessed by continued annual population surveys to assess population trend data.

Biotelemetry devices, including satellite transmitters and archival Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers, were deployed on shy albatrosses, short-tailed shearwaters, and both Australian and long-nosed fur seals. Tags were deployed during the breeding season to maximise data on foraging behaviour and habitat use. This record currently contains tracking data from breeding adult shy albatross (Thalassarche cauta). Additional tracking data from migratory short-tailed shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), the endemic Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), and long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) will be added at a later date. The shy albatross collection includes raw tracking data, and filtered processed tracks fitted with a state space model (Jonsen et al., 2023). These data include the following variables: birdID, breeding phase, tracker type, date/time, locations in latitude and longitude (for both the raw and fitted), and uncertainty metrics. ***EMBARGO NOTE*** Data is currently embargoed - to be released late 2026.

Seagrass beds are a dominant marine ecosystem of Tayaritja (the Furneaux Group of Islands) in the north-eastern waters off Tasmania. Historical coarse mapping has indicated extensive beds of Posidonia, Amphibolis, Heterozostera, and Zostera species, potentially comprising some of the largest and deepest seagrass extents found in temperate Australian waters. However, limited data on the distribution and ecological value of these seagrass habitats represents a significant knowledge gap in understanding Australia's wetland natural assets. This project mapped the extent, ecological composition, population structure, and blue carbon value of seagrass beds around Tayaritja, in partnership with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. This record specifically describes the seagrass population genetics component of the project. Leaf tissue samples were collected from four seagrass species: Amphibolis antarctica, Heterozostera nigricaulis, Posidonia australis and Zostera muelleri. Samples were collected from multiple sites around Tayaritja Sea Country and processed for genome-wide SNP genotyping using the DArTseq platform. The dataset includes population-level genetic summary statistics, associated DArT metadata and reports, and raw sequence data used to support assessment of genetic diversity, clonality, population structure and connectivity among sampled seagrass populations. See the "Lineage" section of this record for full methodology. ***EMBARGO NOTE*** Data is currently embargoed until 31/12/2026. Please contact the NESP Data Wrangler (Southern node) to discuss access options: Emma.Flukes@utas.edu.au