Recent datasets

This dataset summarises 40 years of seagrass data collection (1983-2022) within Torres Strait and the Gulf of Carpentaria into two GIS shapefiles: (1) a point shapefile that includes survey data for 48,612 geolocated sites, and (2) a polygon geopackage describing seagrass at 641 individual or composite meadows. Managing seagrass resources in northern Australia requires adequate baseline information on where seagrass is (presence/absence), the mapped extent of meadows, what species are present, and date of collection.

This dataset consists of the historical range limits and poleward-most extent of recent extralimital occurrence of 82 potential marine species’ range extensions around Australia (NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC and WA) revealed by an assessment of citizen scientists observations from Redmap, Reef Life Survey, and iNaturalist from 2013–2022. The purpose of this project was to assess evidence for climate-driven marine species range extensions with data provided by Australian citizen scientists.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - NESP MaC Project 1.29 a: Great Reef Census - a case study to integrate citizen science data into research output for marine habitat management". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. To maximise our understanding of our marine and coastal environment, we need to take advantage of emerging technologies and approaches. This includes citizen science, community monitoring and Indigenous Rangers.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - Barriers to using UAVs in conservation and environmental management. Environmental managers are embracing technology to assist with monitoring and evaluating coastal wetlands. Drones are being used routinely for fauna tracking and water sample collection; however, barriers in broader application still remain for adoption in environmental management. This research will survey conservation professionals about the barriers preventing drone adoption.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - NESP Marine and Coastal Hub scoping study: New approaches to monitoring. Observations of marine species have rapidly diversified over the last decade with increasing numbers of observations collected either through citizen science programs or opportunistically by citizens and then submitted into public databases.

This dataset consists of seagrass shoot height and biomass assessments from an experiment which compared control plots to exclusion cage plots which prevented megaherbivore grazing. This experiment ran at two sites from September 2021 to April 2022. We use a short-term field study, adapting recent methods applied in the Great Barrier Reef to investigate the role of megaherbivore grazing in two key locations where seagrass declines have been most dramatic: the Orman Reefs and Mabuyag Island.

This dataset consists of one data file (CSV) from a nationally open survey for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples involved or interested in ecosystem restoration of marine and coastal habitats. The survey elicited 8 responses, although not all were complete, and gathered perceptions of engagement in restoration by researchers and practitioners.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - Defining a pathway for the operational use of emerging technologies on country. Marine and coastal impacts in northern Australia occur overwhelmingly on Indigenous managed land. However, the collection, analysis and use of data to support adaptive management of the threats to these important ecosystems is dominated by external organisations. Existing monitoring solutions rely on trust in the training and expertise of the people collecting the data.

This dataset contains Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 cloud free composite satellite images of the Coral Sea reef areas and some parts of the Great Barrier Reef. It also contains raw depth contours derived from the satellite imagery. This dataset was developed as the base information for mapping the boundaries of reefs and coral cays in the Coral Sea. It is likely that the satellite imagery is useful for numerous other applications. The full source code is available and can be used to apply these techniques to other locations.

This dataset contains both large (A0) printable maps of the Torres Strait broken into six overlapping regions, based on a clear sky, clear water composite Sentinel 2 composite imagery and the imagery used to create these maps. These maps show satellite imagery of the region, overlaid with reef and island boundaries and names. Not all features are named, just the more prominent features. This also includes a vector map of Ashmore Reef and Boot Reef in Coral Sea as these were used in the same discussions that these maps were developed for.

This vulnerability map results from integrating the spatial pattern of the following stressors: cyclonic waves, currents, cyclone tracks, heatwaves (DHW), crown of thorns starfish, and tsunamis. After summarizing historical data and reclassifying each variable into a common scale, they were integrated into a single vulnerability score whose spatial distribution is represented in this map.

Methods: Pygmy blue whales in the South-east Indian Ocean migrate from the southern coast of Australia to Indonesia, with a significant part of their migration route passing through areas subject to oil and gas production. This study aimed at improving our understanding of the spatial extent of the distribution, migration and foraging areas, to better inform impact assessment of anthropogenic activities in these regions.

This dataset consists of one spreadsheet, which shows the survival, number of polyps, size, Symbiodinium quantity and photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) of up to four-month-old Acropora millepora coral recruits while being exposed to three different climate scenarios resembling current climate conditions and conditions expected by mid and end of the century. Coral recruit resilience towards one-month-long light attenuation with five intensities was tested by exposing the recruits either one (experiment 1) or two months (experiment 2) following settlement.

This project developed a set of high quality GIS datasets of the emergent and shallow marine features (reef boundaries, reef tops, islands, and cays) of the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). The goal of this mapping was to improve the precision and spatial detail of existing reef maps. Features mapped as openly available shapefiles: - Coral atoll platform boundary - outer visible extent combined with available multi-beam bathymetry (100 m depth) - Coral reef boundary - coral substrate, plus connected sand, raised off atoll platform, mapped to 50 - 60 m depth.

This dataset contains composite satellite images for the Coral Sea region based on 10 m resolution Sentinel 2 imagery from 2015 – 2021. This image collection is intended to allow mapping of the reef and island features of the Coral Sea. This is a draft version of the dataset prepared from approximately 60% of the available Sentinel 2 image. An improved version of this dataset was released https://doi.org/10.26274/NH77-ZW79. This collection contains composite imagery for 31 Sentinel 2 tiles in the Coral Sea.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Scoping Study: New Approaches to Marine Monitoring". Australia’s has the third largest marine estate of any country in the world. Much of our marine and coastal resources are in offshore or sparsely populated areas meaning that our ability to monitor and assess our environmental resources and values is particularly challenging. To maximise our understanding of our marine and coastal environment, we need to take advantage of emerging technologies and approaches.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Mapping critical habitat in Yanyuwa Sea Country". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. Marra and li-Anthawirriyarra rangers seek to build on existing partnerships with CDU and JCU to map the intertidal habitats of the Yanyuwa Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) and coastal areas connected to it, an area of profound importance to these communities and the marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Carpentaria (GoC).

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Scoping Study: Indigenous Participation and Research Needs ". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. This scoping study builds on the engagement undertaken during the development of the NESP proposal for the Marine and Coastal Hub, where 42 Traditional Owners and Native Title holders across mostly northern Australia provided support for our bid.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "A pilot study into the movement and dispersal of sawfishes". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. The aim of this project is to test the utility of satellite telemetry to elucidate the movement and dispersal in large sub-adult and adult sawfishes, which are a poorly understood life-history phase of this globally and nationally endangered group.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Coastal wetland restoration for Blue Carbon in northern Australia". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. Investment in restoration of coastal wetland ecosystems is increasing due to concerns around habitat loss, water quality, decline in fish catches, coastal inundation and erosion, and climate change.