Benthic Sediment and Seagrass Surveys of Darwin and Bynoe Harbours (2017)

285 seabed sediment samples were collected for grain size, elemental, and organic matter analysis from inner Darwin Harbour and Bynoe Harbour between 29 May and 16 August 2017. The surveys were conducted by Geoscience Australia, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and the Northern Territory Government as part of a four-year science program to create baseline habitat maps. Data summaries and metadata are provided, with seagrass observations incorporated into a government database.

Use Cases

• Modeling seabed habitat types based on sediment grain size and composition data.
• Analyzing spatial distribution of inorganic elements for environmental baseline studies.
• Mapping seagrass and hardground observations for marine ecosystem management.
• Integrating sediment and observational data with bathymetric surveys to create thematic habitat maps.

Strengths

• Includes 285 precisely located seabed sediment samples.
• Data is part of a multi-year (2014-2018) program aimed at creating full-coverage interpolated maps.
• Collaboration involves authoritative institutions: Geoscience Australia, AIMS, and the NT Government.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count for observational data is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Primary data files are in DOCX and PDF formats, which may require extraction for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Northern Territory Government Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Collection Method

Benthic sediment sampling surveys, with samples designated for grain size, inorganic elemental, and organic matter analyses.

Time Range

Survey conducted from 29 May to 16 August 2017.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 07:05:48.614551; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Inner Darwin Harbour and shallow water areas in and around Bynoe Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia.