Ch. 64: GeoHab Atlas of seafloor geomorphic features and benthic habitats: synthesis and lessons learned. In Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat: GeoHab Atlas of seafloor geomorphic features and benthic habitats. (Harris, P. T. and Baker, E. K., eds.)  

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Harris, P.T. | Baker, E.K.

Abstract

This chapter presents a broad synthesis and overview based on the 57 case studies included in Part 2 of this book, and on questionnaires completed by the authors. The case studies covered areas of seafloor ranging from 0.15 to over 1,000,000 km2 (average of 26,600 km2) and a broad range of geomorphic feature types. The mean depths of the study areas ranged from 8 to 2,375 m, with about half of the studies on the shelf (depth <120 m) and half on the slope and at greater depths. Mapping resolution ranged from 0.1 to 170 m (mean of 13 m). There is a relatively equal distribution of studies among the four naturalness categories: near-pristine (n=17), largely unmodified (n = 16), modified (n=13) and extensively modified (n=10). In terms of threats to habitats, most authors identified fishing (n=46) as the most significant threat, followed by pollution (n=12), oil and gas development (n=7) and aggregate mining (n=7). Anthropogenic climate change was viewed as an immediate threat to benthic habitats by only three authors (n=3). Water depth was found to be the most useful surrogate for benthic communities in the most studies (n=17), followed by substrate/sediment type (n=14), acoustic backscatter (n=12), wave-current exposure (n=10), grain size (n=10), seabed rugosity (n=9) and BPI/TPI (n=8). Water properties (temperature, salinity) and seabed slope are less useful surrogates. A range of analytical methods were used to identify surrogates, with ARC GIS being by far the most popular method (23 out of 44 studies that specified a methodology).

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nonGeographicDataset

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71782

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• External PublicationMonograph Contribution

( Theme )

• abiotic surrogates

( Theme )

• environmental

( Theme )

• marine survey

( Theme )

• habitat

( Theme )

• geomorphology

( Theme )

• marine

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• CERF

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

• Earth Sciences

• Published_Internal

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2011-01-01T00:00:00

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