Seabed morphology and geomorphology of the Coral Sea Marine Park, north-eastern Australia - Version 1

Authors / CoAuthors

McNeil, M. | Huang, Z. | Nanson, R. | Wenderlich, M. | Carroll, A.

Abstract

<div>This data product contains geospatial seabed morphology and geomorphology information for Flinders Reefs and Cairns Seamount (Coral Sea Marine Park). These maps are intended for use by marine park managers, regulators, the general public and other stakeholders. A nationally consistent two-part (two-step) seabed geomorphology classification system was used to map and classify the distribution of key seabed features. </div><div><br></div><div>In step 1, semi-automated GIS mapping tools (GA-SaMMT; Huang et al., 2022; eCat Record 146832) were applied to a bathymetry digital elevation model (DEM) in a GIS environment (ESRI ArcGIS Pro) to map polygon extents (topographic high, low, and planar) and to quantitatively characterise their geometries. Their geometric attributes were then used to classify each shape into discrete Morphology Feature types (Part 1: Dove et al., 2020; eCat Record 144305). In step 2, the seabed geomorphology was interpreted by applying additional datasets and domain knowledge to inform their geomorphic characterisation (Part 2: Nanson et al., 2023; eCat Record 147818). Where available, backscatter intensity, seabed imagery, seabed sediment samples and sub-bottom profiles supplemented the bathymetry DEM and morphology classifications to inform the geomorphic interpretations.</div><div><br></div><div>The Flinders Reefs seabed morphology and geomorphology maps were derived from an 8 m horizontal resolution bathymetry DEM compiled from multibeam surveys (FK200429/GA4861: Beaman et al., 2020; FK200802/GA0365: Brooke et al, 2020), Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and bathymetry supplied by the Australian Hydrographic Office.</div><div><br></div><div>A subset of the FK200802/GA0365 multibeam survey was gridded at 1 m horizontal resolution to derive the key morphology and geomorphology features at the top of Cairns Seamount (-35 to -66 m; within the upper mesophotic zone).</div><div><br></div><div>The data product and application schema are fully described in the accompanying Data Product Specification. </div><div><br></div><div><em>Beaman, R., Duncan, P., Smith, D., Rais, K., Siwabessy, P.J.W., Spinoccia, M. 2020. Visioning the Coral Sea Marine Park bathymetry survey (FK200429/GA4861). Geoscience Australia, Canberra. <a href=https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/140048>https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/140048</a>; GA eCat record 140048</em></div><div><br></div><div><em>Brooke, B., Nichol, S., Beaman, R. 2020. Seamounts, Canyons and Reefs of the Coral Sea bathymetry survey (FK200802/GA0365). Geoscience Australia, Canberra. <a href=https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/144385>https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/144385</a>; GA eCat record 144385</em></div><div><br></div><div><em>Dove, D., Nanson, R., Bjarnadóttir, L. R., Guinan, J., Gafeira, J., Post, A., Dolan, Margaret F.J., Stewart, H., Arosio, R., Scott, G. (2020). A two-part seabed geomorphology classification scheme (v.2); Part 1: morphology features glossary. Zenodo. <a href=https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4075248>https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4075248</a>; GA eCat Record 144305 </em></div><div><br></div><div><em>Huang, Z., Nanson, R. and Nichol, S. (2022). Geoscience Australia's Semi-automated Morphological Mapping Tools (GA-SaMMT) for Seabed Characterisation. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. <a href=https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146832>https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/146832</a>; GA eCat Record 146832</em></div><div><br></div><div><em>Nanson, R., Arosio, R., Gafeira, J., McNeil, M., Dove, D., Bjarnadóttir, L., Dolan, M., Guinan, J., Post, A., Webb, J., Nichol, S. (2023). A two-part seabed geomorphology classification scheme; Part 2: Geomorphology classification framework and glossary (Version 1.0) (1.0). Zenodo. <a href=https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7804019>https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7804019</a>; GA eCat Record 147818 </em></div>

Product Type

dataset

eCat Id

147998

Contact for the resource

Resource provider

Point of contact

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia

Point of contact

Digital Object Identifier

https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/147998

Keywords

( Project )

Parks Australia

seabed

morphology

geomorphology

spatial

mapping

theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf

Geomorphology and earth surface processes

Published_External

Publication Date

2023-06-26T04:28:31

Creation Date

2023-06-08T18:00:00

Security Constraints

Legal Constraints

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

Use - license otherRestrictions

Status

Purpose

This product provides users with information to understand the geodiversity of seabed features and substrates that characterise Flinders Reefs and Cairns Seamount within the Coral Sea Marine Park. It can be used to inform benthic habitat mapping and to better predict and understand biodiversity distributions. The product contributes to a nationally consistent seabed morphology and geomorphology mapping schema that can be implemented to inform other regional and national seabed data products.

Maintenance Information

notPlanned

Topic Category

geoscientificInformation

Series Information

Lineage

<div>Underlying source bathymetric data were obtained from Beaman et al., 2020 (FK200429/GA4861) and Brooke et al., 2020 (FK200802/GA0365). Morphology and geomorphology data layers were produced by applying semi-automated mapping tools to bathymetry digital elevation models (DEMs) in a GIS environment (ESRI ArcGIS Pro) using a two-step approach. <br>In step 1, seabed morphology features were defined by generating polygons around topographic high, low, and planar features using the TPI (topographic position index) tool in GA-SaMMT (Geoscience Australia semi-automated morphology mapping tools: Huang et al., 2022). Where appropriate, manual editing was also employed to modify the polygon boundaries of some features. Features were then classified by computing a set of quantitative geometric attributes and applying published Morphology Features glossary terms (Dove et al., 2020) using the GA-SaMMT. It should be noted that features of a certain size threshold or height (determined by the horizontal and vertical resolution of the underlying bathymetry grid) may not be captured by the semi-automated mapping tools. In addition, features that fall outside of the optimal user-defined parameters for the input data are not captured in the output. </div><div><br></div><div>In step 2, seabed geomorphology was interpreted by applying additional datasets and domain knowledge to inform the geomorphic characterisation of the seabed following Nanson et al., (2023). Where available, additional datasets include backscatter intensity data, seabed imagery (AUV and ROV), seabed samples, sub-bottom profiles and survey reports. Where a geomorphology classification has not been attributed, the following notation was applied:</div><div>NA: Classification at this level is not appropriate/applicable to the Setting/Process, or the level of detail is out of scope and has not been attempted;</div><div>Unknown: There is insufficient data available to determine a geomorphology classification for a mapped Morphology Feature.</div><div><br></div><div>A full list of GIS layers that comprise this data product, and their descriptions, is included in the accompanying Data Product Specification.</div>

Parent Information

Extents

[-17.95, -16.52, 147.17, 148.70]

Reference System

WGS 84 / geographic 2D (EPSG: 4326)

Spatial Resolution

Service Information

Associations

Association Type - wasGeneratedBy

Geoscience Australia's Semi-automated Morphological Mapping Tools (GA-SaMMT) for Seabed Characterisation

eCat Identifier - 146832,

UUID - 3f1ac2d6-83ce-4260-9423-53b5c88dc574

Association Type - crossReference

Visioning the Coral Sea Marine Park bathymetry survey (FK200429/GA4861)

eCat Identifier - 140048,

UUID - 062812b7-5977-4bee-962a-981001e457a6

Association Type - crossReference

Seamounts, Canyons and Reefs of the Coral Sea bathymetry survey (FK200802/GA0365)

eCat Identifier - 144385,

UUID - 645e7d6e-b4b7-4d69-ab3a-c5cc034d455e

Association Type - informed

A two-part seabed geomorphology classification scheme; Part 1: Morphology features glossary (Version 2)

eCat Identifier - 144305,

UUID - 33e37487-6672-4d9e-9022-1e2fde869d74

Association Type - informed

A two-part seabed geomorphology classification scheme; Part 2: Geomorphology classification framework and glossary (Version 1.0)

eCat Identifier - 147818,

UUID - d96ee89c-a6b7-4c26-a9b4-23160e8128e9