Seabed Biodiversity on the Continental Shelf of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area 2003 - 2006 (CRC Reef, CSIRO)

This very large study is published in Pitcher et al. (2007). Its purpose was to quantify patterns in seabed biodiversity and inter-reefal environmental conditions throughout the GBR.

The study had three aims: (1) Assessment of seabed biodiversity on the continental shelf of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and assessment of the use of biophysical data as environmental correlates of biodiversity and benthic communities; (2) Mapping bycatch and seabed benthos assemblages in the GBR Region for environmental risk assessment and sustainable management of the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery, and (3) Assessment of the performance of acoustic remote sensing for seabed mapping and as a surrogate for biodiversity on the continental shelf of the GBR.

It contains several large data sets, based on &gt;600 km of towed video, ~100,000 photos, 1150 baited remote underwater videos, echograms, ~14,000 benthic samples, ~4,000 seabed fish samples, and ~1,200 sediment samples.

The eAtlas has processed the Towed video data into a shapefile [1 MB] for dataset visualisation. This processing was done by combining the start and end tow events from the VESSEL_TASKS_ALL table to create a shapefile (GBR_CSIRO-AIMS_Seabed-biodiversity-2003-2006_DropCam.shp) and CSV (GBR_CSIRO-AIMS_Seabed-biodiversity-2003-2006_DropCam.csv) with a line feature for each tow. The information from tables VESSEL_VIDEO_BIOHABITAT and VESSEL_VIDEO_SUBSTRATUM were added as attributes of the line features based on the matching SITE_ID. 

Format:

The processed data from this study is stored in an Access Database (77 MB). The eAtlas summarised the tow video data into a shapefile [1MB] and CSV files (290 KB). Note the attribute names in the shapefile were truncated to 10 characters due to the limitation of shapfiles. These names are provided in the Data Dictionary below.

Data Dictionary:

The following are descriptions of all the attributed in the tables of the Access Database. Each section corresponds to a table in the database.

SITE_DATA:



SITE_ID: site ID number

GRD_ID: 0.01 degree gridcell ID number

GRD_LAT: latitude centre of GRD_ID grid cell (GDA94)

GRD_LON: longitude centre of GRD_ID grid cell (GDA94)

STRATUM_ID: biophysical stratification membership number

SNDR_DEPTH: site echosounder depth (metres)

GBR_ASPECT: derived aspect from GBRMPA 15 second bathymetry

GA_CRBNT: % carbonate of sediment samples, processed by Geoscience Australia

GA_GRAVEL: % gravel grainsize fraction of sediment samples, processed by Geoscience Australia

GA_SAND: % sand grainsize fraction of sediment samples, processed by Geoscience Australia

GA_MUD: % mud grainsize fraction of sediment samples, processed by Geoscience Australia


VESSEL_TASKS_ALL:



SITE_ID: site ID number

VESSEL_ID: vessel ID code: LB=Lady Basten (AIMS), GM=Gwendoline May (QDPI)

DTTM_EST: date/time (EST) of task event on vessels

LATITUDE: latitude of task event, decimal degrees

LONGITUDE: longitude of task event, decimal degrees

DEPTH: depth of task event (m), recorded from vessel echosounder

EVENT_1: drop camera deployment &amp; recovery task events

EVENT_2: drop camera transect start &amp; end task events

EVENT_3: 1.5m epibenthic sled tow start &amp; end task events

EVENT_4: BRUVS deployment task events

EVENT_5: research trawl (8 fathom Florida Flyer) tow start &amp; end task events


VESSEL_TASKS_BRUVS:



SITE_ID: site ID number

VESSEL_ID: vessel ID code: LB=Lady Basten (AIMS)

DTTM_EST: date/time (EST) of BRUVS deployment event on vessel

LATITUDE: latitude of BRUVS deployment event, decimal degrees

LONGITUDE: longitude of BRUVS deployment event, decimal degrees

DEPTH: depth of BRUVS deployment event (m), recorded from vessel echosounder

BRUV_ID: ID number of BRUVS deployed


VESSEL_TASKS_DROPCAM:



SITE_ID: site ID number

VESSEL_ID: vessel ID code: LB=Lady Basten (AIMS)

DTTM_EST: date/time (EST) of DROPCAM transect start event on vessel

LATITUDE: latitude of DROPCAM transect start event, decimal degrees

LONGITUDE: longitude of DROPCAM transect start event, decimal degrees

DEPTH: depth of DROPCAM transect start event (m), recorded from vessel echosounder

DURATION: duration of DROPCAM transect tow (minutes)

LENGTH: length of DROPCAM transect tow (metres)


VESSEL_TASKS_SAMPLING:



SITE_ID: site ID number

VESSEL_ID: vessel ID code: LB=Lady Basten (=&gt;SLED), GM=Gwendoline May (=&gt;TRAWL)

DTTM_EST: date/time (EST) of sampling tow start event on vessel

LATITUDE: latitude of sampling tow start event, decimal degrees

LONGITUDE: longitude of sampling tow start event, decimal degrees

DEPTH: depth of sampling tow start event (m), recorded from vessel echosounder

DURATION: duration of sampling tow (minutes)

LENGTH: length of sampling tow (metres)

AREA_HA: swept area of sampling tow (hectares)


VESSEL_SAMPLES:



SITE_ID: site ID number

SAMPLE_ID: sample ID number

VESSEL_ID: vessel ID code: LB=Lady Basten (AIMS), GM=Gwendoline May (QDPI)

SAMPLE_DATE: sampling date (EST)

CLASS: preservation class for sampled biota

DATA_RECORDER: name of data recorder on vessel

CONTAINER_ID: container ID number for storage of samples preserved on vessel

LABORATORY: destination laboratory for sorting of specimens

PRESERVATION: type of preservation

SAMPLE_TOTAL_WT: total weight of sample before any sub-sampling

SAMPLE_RETAINED_WT: weight of sample after any sub-sampling, retained for lab sorting

COMMENTS: comments


LAB_SPECIMEN_TAXA:



OTU_ID: operational taxonomic unit ID number, nominal species equivalent

KINGDOM: taxonomic kingdom name

PHYLUM: taxonomic phylum name

CLASS: taxonomic class name

ORDR: taxonomic order name

FAMILY: taxonomic family name

GENUS: taxonomic genus name

SPECIES: taxonomic species name, if identified - otherwise alpha taxonomy applies

DESCRIPTION: specimen description 

LOCATION: location of OTU, note synonymous OTUs may reside in other labs

SITE_ID: site ID number

SAMPLE_ID: sample ID number

OTU_ID: operational taxonomic unit ID number, nominal species equivalent

LAB_WT: weight (g) of specimens where measured (negative = not weighed)

LAB_CNT: count of specimens where distinct (negative = not countable)


BRUVS_SPECIES_CAAB:



CAAB_CODE: species Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota www.marine.csiro.au/caab/

KINGDOM: taxonomic kingdom name

PHYLUM: taxonomic phylum name

CLASS: taxonomic class name

ORDER: taxonomic order name

FAMILY: taxonomic family name

GENUS: taxonomic genus name

SPECIES: taxonomic species name, if identified


BRUVS_maxN_DATA:



SITE_ID: site ID number

BRUV_NUM: BRUV Station ID number within Site

CAAB_CODE: species Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota www.marine.csiro.au/caab/

MAXN: maximum count of species in any single video frame recorded at station


VESSEL_VIDEO_SUBSTRATUM:

Note the names in brackets correspond to the attribute name in the shapefile.
- SITE_ID(SITE_ID): site ID number
- SoftMud(SoftMud): percentage of Soft Mud observed along video transect
- Silt(Sandy-Mud)(Silt): percentage of Silt (Sandy-Mud) observed along video transect
- Sand(Sand): percentage of Sand observed along video transect
- CoarseSand(CoarseSand): percentage of Coarse Sand observed along video transect
- SandWaves/Dunes(SandDunes): percentage of Sand Waves / Dunes observed along video transect
- Rubble(5-50mm)(Rubble): percentage of Rubble (5-50mm) observed along video transect
- Stones(50-250mm)(Stones): percentage of Stones (50-250mm) observed along video transect
- Rocks(&gt;250mm)(Rocks): percentage of Rocks (&gt;250mm) observed along video transect
- Bedrock/Reef(Bedrock): percentage of Bedrock / Reef observed along video transect

VESSEL_VIDEO_BIOHABITAT:

Note the names in brackets correspond to the attribute name in the shapefile.
- SITE_ID(SITE_ID): site ID number
- NoBiohabitat(NoBiohabit): percentage of seab with No Biogenic habitat observed along video transect
- Bioturbated(Bioturbate): percentage of Bioturbated seabed observed along video transect
- AlcyonariansSparse(AlcyonSpar): percentage of Sparse Alcyonarians observed along video transect
- AlcyonariansMedium(AlcyonMed): percentage of Medium Alcyonarians observed along video transect
- AlcyonariansDense(AlcyonDens): percentage of Dense Alcyonarians observed along video transect
- WhipGardenSparse(WhipGaSpar): percentage of Sparse Whip Garden observed along video transect
- WhipGardenMedium(WhipGaMed): percentage of Medium Whip Garden observed along video transect
- WhipGardenDense(WhipGaDens): percentage of Dense Whip Garden observed along video transect
- GorgonianGardenSparse(GorgonSpar): percentage of Sparse Gorgonian Garden observed along video transect
- GorgonianGardenMedium(GorgonMed): percentage of Medium Gorgonian Garden observed along video transect
- GorgonianGardenDense(GorgonDens): percentage of Dense Gorgonian Garden observed along video transect
- SpongeGardenSparse(SpongeSpar): percentage of Sparse Sponge Garden observed along video transect
- SpongeGardenMedium(SpongeMed): percentage of Medium Sponge Garden observed along video transect
- SpongeGardenDense(SpongeDens): percentage of Dense Sponge Garden observed along video transect
- HardCoralGardenSparse(HardCoSpar): percentage of Sparse Hard Coral Garden observed along video transect
- HardCoralGardenMedium(HardCoMed): percentage of Medium Hard Coral Garden observed along video transect
- HardCoralGardenDense(HardCoDens): percentage of Dense Hard Coral Garden observed along video transect
- LiveReefCorals(LiveReefCo): percentage of Live Reef Corals observed along video transect
- Flora(Flora): percentage of Flora observed along video transect
- Algae(Algae): percentage of Algae observed along video transect
- Halimeda(Halimeda): percentage of Halimeda observed along video transect
- Caulerpa(Caulerpa): percentage of Caulerpa observed along video transect
- Seagrass(Seagrass): percentage of Seagrass observed along video transect
- BivalveShellBeds(BivalShBed): percentage of Bivalve Shell Beds observed along video transect
- SquidEggs(SquidEggs): percentage of Squid Eggs observed along video transect
- TubePolychaeteBeds(TubePolBed): percentage of Tube Polychaete Beds observed along video transect

LAB_VIDEO_HABITAT_DATA:



SITE_ID: site ID number

FRAME_NO: transect video segment frame number

HABITAT_TYPE: habitat category type: Biological, Sediment, Physical

FEATURE: habitat feature descripor within category type

DESCRIPTOR1: first descriptor of habitat feature, if applicable

DESCRIPTOR2: secondary descriptor of feature, if applicable

PERCENT_COVER: percent cover of frame by feature of given descriptor

VERTICAL_SCALE: vertical scale of feature (cm), if recorded

HORIZONTAL_SCALE: horizontal scale of feature (cm), if recorded


Reference:

Pitcher, C.R., Doherty, P., Arnold, P., Hooper, J., Gribble, N., Bartlett, C., Browne, M., Campbell, N., Cannard, T., Cappo, M., Carini, G., Chalmers, S., Cheers, S., Chetwynd, D., Colefax, A., Coles, R., Cook, S., Davie, P., De'ath, G., Devereux, D., Done, B., Donovan, T., Ehrke, B., Ellis, N., Ericson, G., Fellegara, I., Forcey, K., Furey, M., Gledhill, D., Good, N., Gordon, S., Haywood, M., Hendriks, P., Jacobsen, I., Johnson, J., Jones, M., Kinninmoth, S., Kistle, S., Last, P., Leite, A., Marks, S., McLeod, I., Oczkowicz, S., Robinson, M., Rose, C., Seabright, D., Sheils, J., Sherlock, M., Skelton, P., Smith, D., Smith, G., Speare, P., Stowar, M., Strickland, C., Van der Geest, C., Venables, W., Walsh, C., Wassenberg, T., Welna, A., Yearsley, G. (2007). Seabed Biodiversity on the Continental Shelf of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. AIMS/CSIRO/QM/QDPI CRC Reef Research Task Final Report. 320 pp.

Data Location:

This dataset is saved in the eAtlas enduring data repository at: data\custodian\2009-2019-other\GBR_CSIRO-AIMS_Seabed-biodiversity-2003-2006

Tags: marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network