Technical report

File type: PDF

Monk J, Langlois T, Spencer C, Woolley S, Flukes E, Gibbons B, Bastiaansen A, Hulls J, Grammer G, Hayes K, Dunstan P, Colbung S, Reynolds R, Guilfoyle D, Lavers J, Webb IW, Webb W, Barrett N, Lucieer V (2024). Improving seabed habitat predictions for southern Australia. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. University of Tasmania.

May 2024

Overview

This research report targets policymakers, managers, and researchers, presenting significant advancements in mapping “functional reef” across southern Australia. These functional reefs, defined as seabed areas supporting biodiversity and providing essential ecosystem services, were identified using extensive benthic imagery, resulting in an open-access dataset that predicts functional reef occurrence with moderate accuracy (~75%). The modelling approach allowed for a novel presentation of spatial uncertainty associated with model predictions.

The study identifies key regions for functional reefs, such as paleoshoreline features in southwest Australia, stabilised mega-rippled sediments, and bryozoan thickets or dense scallop grounds that form the foundation of these functional reefs. Collaborations with Traditional Owners improved the sampling design, identifying biodiversity hotspots linked to submerged cultural corridors.

The findings empower policymakers and managers with better data to avoid impacts, design monitoring programs, and target ecosystem repair, while researchers gain a synthesised dataset through GlobalArchive and SQUIDLE+ and an R-based workflow for future updates to the predictions. Conservation and infrastructure managers can now better assess cumulative impacts and plan for sustainable development, and the general public, along with cultural stakeholders, gain an enhanced understanding of marine biodiversity on the southern continental shelf.

Final mapping products are hosted by Seamap Australia, enabling the dynamic exploration of model predictions, composition of ground-truthing observations represented as spatially-referenced pie charts, and links to habitat images hosted through SQUIDLE+. Visit https://seamapaustralia.org/map/#704ac727-4a63-4789-a06d-b07fed6b4294 to access these features.

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