Marine Key Ecological Features

Key ecological features are the parts of the marine ecosystem that are considered to be of importance for a marine region's biodiversity or ecosystem function and integrity.
Key ecological features (KEFs) meet one or more of the following criteria:


a species, group of species, or a community with a regionally important ecological role (e.g. a predator, prey that affects a large biomass or number of other marine species);


a species, group of species, or a community that is nationally or regionally important for biodiversity;


an area or habitat that is nationally or regionally important for: 
a) enhanced or high productivity (such as predictable upwellings - an upwelling occurs when cold nutrient-rich waters from the bottom of the ocean rise to the surface);
b) aggregations of marine life (such as feeding, resting, breeding or nursery areas);
c) biodiversity and endemism (species which only occur in a specific area); or


a unique seafloor feature, with known or presumed ecological properties of regional significance.


KEFs have been identified by the Australian Government on the basis of advice from scientists about the ecological processes and characteristics of the area. A workshop held in Darwin in 2007 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features.
As new information becomes available, the spatial representations of identified key ecological features will continue to be refined and updated.
Sixteen KEFs have been identified in the South-west Marine Region:

Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos Islands 
Perth Canyon and adjacent shelf break, and other west coast canyons 
Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to the west coast inshore lagoons 
Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to Geographe Bay 
Cape Mentelle upwelling 
Naturaliste Plateau
Diamantina Fracture Zone
Albany Canyons group and adjacent shelf break 
Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Recherche Archipelago
Ancient coastline at 90-120 m depth
Kangaroo Island Pool, canyons and adjacent shelf break, and Eyre Peninsula upwellings.
Meso-scale eddies (points).
Western demersal slope and associated fish communities.
Western rock lobster.
Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight. No spatial representation available.
Small pelagic fish of the South-west Marine Region. No spatial representation available.

Thirteen KEFs have been identified in the North-west Marine Region:

Ancient coastline at 125 m depth contour
Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island and surrounding Commonwealth waters
Canyons linking the Argo Abyssal Plain and Scott Plateau
Canyons linking the Cuvier Abyssal Plain and the Cape Range Peninsula
Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Sahul Shelf
Commonwealth waters adjacent to Ningaloo Reef
Continental Slope Demersal Fish Communities
Exmouth Plateau
Glomar Shoals
Mermaid Reed and Commonwealth waters surrounding the Rowley Shoals
Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin
Seringapatam Reef and Commonwealth waters in the Scott Reef Complex
Wallaby Saddle

Eight KEFs have been identified in the North Marine Region:

Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Van Diemen Rise
Shelf break and slope of the Arafura Shelf
Tributary canyons of the Arafura Depression
Gulf of Carpentaria basin
Gulf of Carpentaria coastal zone
Plateaux and saddle north-west of the Wellesley Islands
Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin
Submerged coral reefs of the Gulf of Carpentaria

Three KEFs have been identified in the Coral Sea:

Tasmantid seamount chain
Reefs, cays and hebivorous fish of the Queensland Plateau
Reefs, cays and hebivorous fish of the Marion Plateau

Eight KEFs were identified in the Temperate East marine Region:

Tasmantid seamount chain
Lord Howe seamount chain
Norfolk Ridge
Canyons on the eastern continental slope
Shelf rocky reefs
Elizabeth and Middleton reefs
Upwelling off Fraser Island
Tasman Front and eddy field

Eight KEFs were identified in the South-east Marine Region.

Seamounts, east and south of Tasmania
West Tasmanian canyons
Bonney coast upwelling
Upwelling east of Eden
Big Horseshoe canyon
East Tasmania tropical convergence zone. No spatial representation available
Bass cascade. No spatial representation available
Shelf rocky reefs and hard substrate. No spatial representation available

In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for each Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DSEWPaC has made every effort to use the best available spatial information and best judgement on how to spatially represent the features based on the scientific advice provided. This does not preclude others from making their own interpretation of available information.

Tags: Downloadable Data, MARINE_Biodiversity, MARINE_Conservation, MARINE_Planning
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network