Lord Howe Rise Benthic Habitats from 2003 and 2007 Marine Surveys

Results from two major marine surveys on the Lord Howe Rise submarine plateau conducted in 2003 and 2007. The dataset includes benthic biological and geological samples, underwater photographs, video, and multibeam sonar bathymetry data. It was published by Geoscience Australia and represents an advance in knowledge about plateau ecology.

Use Cases

• Classifying benthic habitat types based on described hard/rocky substrates and volcanic peaks.
• Mapping seafloor topography and features using the multibeam sonar bathymetry data.
• Studying epifaunal assemblages, particularly suspension-feeding invertebrates, on seamounts.
• Assessing areas for ecological significance under UN CBD criteria like uniqueness, vulnerability, and naturalness.

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.
• Covers a specific, significant geographic feature: the Lord Howe Rise plateau within the Australian EEZ.

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 2026-04-20 03:38:04.529169; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

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

Time Range

2003, 2007

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 03:38:04.529169

Geography

Lord Howe Rise submarine plateau, Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)