Macrocystis Pyrifera Kelp Stock Survey on Tasmania's East Coast, 1988

A 1988 survey of Macrocystis pyrifera (giant kelp) stocks along the east coast of Tasmania, conducted by Craig Sanderson for his master's thesis. The survey identified significant kelp beds at Darlington, Southerly Bottom, Fortesque Bay, and George III Rock, with other areas assessed via anecdotal reports. The dataset is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Map historical distribution of Macrocystis pyrifera based on the surveyed locations mentioned in the description.
• Assess changes in kelp bed extent over time by comparing this 1988 survey to modern data.
• Study coastal marine ecology in Tasmania using the identified significant kelp stands as reference points.

Strengths

• Based on first-hand field research conducted for a master's thesis.
• Identifies specific locations of significant kelp stands (>1/2 acre).
• Hosted by the authoritative Australian Ocean Data Network.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Field survey by boat, supplemented by anecdotal reports for unvisited areas.

Time Range

1988

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 05:23:21.873007; freshness should be verified.

Geography

East coast of Tasmania, Australia