Macrocystis Kelp Forest Biomass Survey of Tasmania's East Coast

A survey of the east Tasmanian coastline from Musselroe Bay to South East Cape revealed a total of 10 km² of Macrocystis pyrifera kelp forest. The dataset estimates a total harvestable biomass of 12,300 tonnes available in 1986, based on historical yield records from 1965-1972. Survey methods included aerial observation, mapping on 1:100,000 topographical maps, and quadrat sampling for weight per unit area.

Use Cases

• Estimating sustainable harvest yields based on historical yield records (1965-1972) and biomass density (1.23 kg/m²)
• Mapping kelp forest spatial distribution and boundaries from digitized aerial survey outlines
• Analyzing fluctuations in kelp biomass due to environmental factors like ocean temperature and storm damage

Strengths

• Provides a specific total area estimate (10 km²) and biomass estimate (12,300 tonnes) for the surveyed coastline
• Integrates historical commercial yield data (Alginates (Australia) Company records from 1965-1972) with contemporary survey methods

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: column names, row counts, license, and author are unknown across all sources
• The dataset's temporal focus is a single survey year (1986), with historical context but no recent updates
• The 'last updated' metadata field shows conflicting dates (2026-05-01 and 2026-04-23), suggesting inconsistent platform maintenance

Provenance

Source

Tasmania Government's The List Data

Collection Method

Survey conducted from a light aeroplane; areas marked on 1:100,000 maps and digitized using Mapinfo; quadrat sampling at coastal sites.

Time Range

Survey conducted in 1986, with historical yield records referenced from 1965-1972.

Freshness

Last updated metadata indicates 2026-05-01, but the underlying data describes a 1986 survey.

Geography

East Tasmanian coastline from Musselroe Bay to South East Cape.