Lord Howe Rise Benthic Habitats from 2003 and 2007 Marine Surveys

Geoscience Australia Data presents results from two marine surveys on the Lord Howe Rise submarine plateau in 2003 and 2007. The data includes benthic biological and geological samples, underwater photographs, video, and multibeam sonar bathymetry. The surveys documented hard/rocky substrates on volcanic peaks and seamounts, identifying ecologically significant areas.

Use Cases

• Map benthic habitat distribution based on multibeam sonar bathymetry and underwater imagery.
• Assess ecological significance of submarine plateau features using criteria like uniqueness and vulnerability.
• Study epifaunal assemblages dominated by suspension feeders on hard/rocky substrates.
• Analyze the geological composition of the Lord Howe Rise plateau from collected samples.

Strengths

• Data originates from two dedicated marine surveys in 2003 and 2007, providing a focused temporal snapshot.
• Includes multiple complementary data types: biological samples, geological samples, photographs, video, and bathymetry.
• Surveys cover a globally significant area, with Australia's EEZ containing 1.6 million km² of submarine plateaus.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-04-30 13:32:01.180121; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Collected during two major marine surveys involving sampling, photography, video, and sonar.

Time Range

2003, 2007

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-30 13:32:01.180121

Geography

Lord Howe Rise submarine plateau within the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).