Authors / CoAuthors
Przeslawski, R. | Alvarez de Glasby, B. | Smit, N. | Evans-Illidge, L. | Dethmers, K.
Abstract
We undertook a biological data acquisition program as part of the transit of the R.V. Southern Surveyor between Darwin and Cairns 15-24 October 2012. The overarching aim of this program was to use an ROV and benthic sled to collect benthic marine information and specimens for biodiversity and biodiscovery research in areas previously mapped by Geoscience Australia during survey GA-276, including a bank (Area I) and terrace/hole feature within the proposed Wessel Islands CMR (Area II). This study focuses on sessile invertebrates such as sponges and octocorals due to their ecological importance as habitat providers and their chemical importance as sources of marine natural products and medicines. In less than 24 hours of sampling effort, survey SS2012/t07 resulted in 261 voucher specimens which will be used for biodiversity and natural products research. A total of 49 samples are to be lodged at the ABL, and samples with weights larger than 300 g will be sent to the NCI for screening of active compounds against cancer and HIV. Sponges were the most abundant group collected based on both biomass (~ 139 kg) and number of voucher specimens (93), followed by cnidarians (30 kg, 73 vouchers), particularly hard corals (23 kg, 11 vouchers). As expected the top of the bank in Area I had a seemingly diverse and abundant sessile invertebrate community, with consistent patchy occurrence of sponges, octocorals, and hard corals. The terrace at in Area II supports moderate densities of sponges and octocorals, while the adjacent deep hole at ~ 100 m seems to be covered with muddy gravel and supports scattered mobile and sedentary invertebrates, of which crinoids dominate, as well as skates and numerous small demersal fish.
Product Type
document
eCat Id
74986
Contact for the resource
Custodian
Owner
Custodian
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- GA PublicationRecord
- ( Theme )
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- marine survey
- ( Theme )
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- marine
- ( Theme )
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- NERP
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- AU-NT
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_External
Publication Date
2012-01-01T00:00:00
Creation Date
Security Constraints
Legal Constraints
Status
Purpose
Maintenance Information
notPlanned
Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
Series Information
Record 2013/007
Lineage
The survey includes two study areas: Area I located ~ 200 km to the west of the Wessel Island CMR and Area II located within the reserve which is zoned as a Marine National Park. Sampling locations were chosen based on previous high-resolution mapping completed during survey GA-276 in 2005 using multibeam sonar.
Parent Information
Extents
[-12.0, -10.0, 134.0, 138.0]
Reference System
Spatial Resolution
Service Information
Associations
Source Information
Source data not available.