Monitoring changes in the spatial distribution and health of biotic habitats requires spatially extensive surveys repeated through time. Although a number of habitat distribution mapping methods have been successful in clear, shallow-water coastal environments (e.g. aerial photography and Landsat imagery) and deeper (e.g. multibeam and sidescan sonar) marine environments, these methods fail in highly turbid and shallow environments such as many estuarine ecosystems. To map, model and predict key biotic habitats (seagrasses, green and red macroalgae, polychaete mounds [Ficopamatus enigmaticus] and mussel clumps [Mytilus edulis]) across a range of open and closed estuarine systems on the south-west coast of Western Australia, we integrated post-processed underwater video data with interpolated physical and spatial variables using Random Forest models. Predictive models and associated standard deviation maps were developed from fine-scale habitat cover data. Models performed well for spatial predictions of benthic habitats, with 79-90% of variation explained by depth, latitude, longitude and water quality parameters. The results of this study refine existing baseline maps of estuarine habitats and highlight the importance of biophysical processes driving plant and invertebrate species distribution within estuarine ecosystems. This study also shows that machine-learning techniques, now commonly used in terrestrial systems, also have important applications in coastal marine ecosystems. When applied to video data, these techniques provide a valuable approach to mapping and managing ecosystems that are too turbid for optical methods or too shallow for acoustic methods.

A range of physical descriptors of the seabed can potentially be used as surrogates for defining patterns of benthic marine biodiversity, including bathymetry, geomorphology and sediment type. These variables can be mapped, described and sampled across spatial scales that are of value to the management of the marine estate by providing a template for monitoring benthic ecosystems. As part of a four-year program (2007-2010) funded by the Australian Government, Geoscience Australia led marine surveys designed to collect robust datasets for the analysis of surrogacy relationships between a suite of physical variables and benthic biota in select areas of the Australian continental shelf. This paper focuses on results of the 2008 Carnarvon shelf survey, located within a Commonwealth Marine Park and adjacent to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia). High resolution multibeam sonar mapping, underwater video and benthic sampling revealed a complex geomorphology of ridges, mounds and sandy bedforms. The largest ridge extends 15 km alongshore is 20 m high and interpreted as a drowned forereef. Smaller ridges are ~1 km long, oriented northeast and preserve the form of aeolian dunes. Mounds are up to 5 m high and form extensive fields surrounded by flat sandy seabed. These ridges and mounds provide hardground habitat for diverse coral and sponge communities, whereas the surrounding sandy seafloor is characterised by few sessile benthic organisms. Multivariate analysis of these relationships is used to develop predictive models of benthic habitats, demonstrating the utility of high resolution physical data for informing management of these ecosystems.

A growing need to manage marine biodiversity sustainably at local, regional and global scales cannot be met by applying the limited existing biological data. Abiotic surrogates of biodiversity are thus increasingly valuable in filling the gaps in our knowledge of biodiversity patterns, especially identification of hotspots, habitats needed by endangered or commercially valuable species and systems or processes important to the sustained provision of ecosystem services. This review examines the use of abiotic variables as surrogates for patterns in benthic assemblages with particular regard to how variables are tied to processes affecting biodiversity and how easily those variables can be measured at scales relevant to resource management decisions.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in Jervis Bay (NSW) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GA303, GA305, GA309, GA312) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through colocated sampling of surface sediments (for textural and biogeochemical analysis) and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wavegenerated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Research Vessel Kimbla. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and tide/wave measurement were concentrated in a 3x5 km survey grid (named Darling Road Grid, DRG) within the southern part of the Jervis Bay, incorporating the bay entrance. Additional sampling and stills photography plus bathymetric mapping along transits was undertaken at representative habitat types outside the DRG. This 81 sample dataset comprises acidextractable concentrations of trace elements (Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ge, As, Cd and Pb) in surface seabed sediments (~0 to 2 cm) from Jervis Bay.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in Jervis Bay (NSW) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GA303, GA305, GA309, GA312) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through colocated sampling of surface sediments (for textural and biogeochemical analysis) and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wavegenerated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Research Vessel Kimbla. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and tide/wave measurement were concentrated in a 3x5 km survey grid (named Darling Road Grid, DRG) within the southern part of the Jervis Bay, incorporating the bay entrance. Additional sampling and stills photography plus bathymetric mapping along transits was undertaken at representative habitat types outside the DRG. This 126 sample data set comprises TCO2 flux and pool data for surface seabed sediments (~0 to 2 cm).

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in Jervis Bay (NSW) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GA303, GA305, GA309, GA312) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through co-located sampling of surface sediments (for textural and biogeochemical analysis) and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wave-generated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Research Vessel Kimbla. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and tide/wave measurement were concentrated in a 3x5 km survey grid (named Darling Road Grid, DRG) within the southern part of the Jervis Bay, incorporating the bay entrance. Additional sampling and stills photography plus bathymetric mapping along transits was undertaken at representative habitat types outside the DRG. This 110 sample data-set comprises salinity, dissolved oxygen, water temperature and light attenuation (KD) measurements from Jervis Bay.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in Jervis Bay (NSW) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GA303, GA305, GA309, GA312) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through colocated sampling of surface sediments (for textural and biogeochemical analysis) and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wavegenerated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Research Vessel Kimbla. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and tide/wave measurement were concentrated in a 3x5 km survey grid (named Darling Road Grid, DRG) within the southern part of the Jervis Bay, incorporating the bay entrance. Additional sampling and stills photography plus bathymetric mapping along transits was undertaken at representative habitat types outside the DRG. This 18 sample data set comprises %TOC, %TN, TOC/TN ratios, carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios and major and trace element concnetrations of plant and algae tissues from Jervis Bay. The red algae likely belong to the genera Gracilaria edulis and Acrosorium venulosum which are abundant in the Bay, and are often observed to washup on the beaches.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in southeast Tasmania in 2008 and 2009 (GA0315) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through observation of habitats using underwater towed video. Data was acquired using the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) Research Vessel Challenger. Bathymetric mapping was undertaken in seven survey areas, including: Freycinet Pensinula (83 sq km, east coast and shelf); Tasman Peninsula (117 sq km, east coast and shelf); Port Arthur and adjacent open coast (17 sq km); The Friars (41 sq km, south of Bruny Island); lower Huon River estuary (39 sq km); D Entrecastreaux Channel (7 sq km, at Tinderbox north of Bruny Island), and; Maria Island (3 sq km, western side). Video characterisations of the seabed concentrated on areas of bedrock reef and adjacent seabed in all mapped areas, except for D Entrecastreaux Channel and Maria Island. The datasets contains 7 backscatter grids of the south east Tasmania Shelf produced from the processed EM3002 backscatter data of the survey area using the CMST-GA MB Process.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in Jervis Bay (NSW) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GA303, GA305, GA309, GA312) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through co-located sampling of surface sediments (for textural and biogeochemical analysis) and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wave-generated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Research Vessel Kimbla. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and tide/wave measurement were concentrated in a 3x5 km survey grid (named Darling Road Grid, DRG) within the southern part of the Jervis Bay, incorporating the bay entrance. Additional sampling and stills photography plus bathymetric mapping along transits was undertaken at representative habitat types outside the DRG. Seabed sediment samples were collected by a Shipek grab at a total of 126 locations. (see Anderson et al. 2009). Sediment grabs typically recovered a sample up to 5 cm by 12 cm in area and 5 cm thick, from which a 50 - 100 g sub-sample was taken to a depth of ~2 cm. Sub-samples were stored in plastic bags and refrigerated.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in Jervis Bay (NSW) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GA303, GA305, GA309, GA312) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through colocated sampling of surface sediments (for textural and biogeochemical analysis) and infauna, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video and stills photography, and measurement of ocean tides and wavegenerated currents. Data and samples were acquired using the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Research Vessel Kimbla. Bathymetric mapping, sampling and tide/wave measurement were concentrated in a 3x5 km survey grid (named Darling Road Grid, DRG) within the southern part of the Jervis Bay, incorporating the bay entrance. Additional sampling and stills photography plus bathymetric mapping along transits was undertaken at representative habitat types outside the DRG. The dataset contains 11 bathymetry grids of Jervis Bay survey area produced from the processed EM3002 bathymetry data using the CARIS HIPS and SIPS software. Please see the metadata for detailed informaiton.<p><p>This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.