GA0358 and GA0359: Benthic Sediment Samples from 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 May and August 2017. Geoscience Australia, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and the Northern Territory Government collaborated on this survey, which is part of a four-year (2014-2018) science program to create baseline habitat maps for marine resource management. The data, which also includes seagrass and hardground observations, will be merged with three other surveys to produce interpolated maps of abiotic parameters for the region.

Use Cases

• Model seabed habitat types based on sediment grain size and inorganic elemental composition.
• Analyze organic matter concentration and source to assess marine carbon cycling.
• Create interpolated thematic maps of abiotic parameters for marine spatial planning.
• Integrate seagrass observation data with broader ecological databases for conservation studies.

Strengths

• 285 precisely located seabed sediment samples with designated analyses.
• Data collection is part of a multi-year (2014-2018) structured science program aimed at creating baseline 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 the primary sample data is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The primary data files are in report formats (HTML, DOCX, PDF), 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 from vessels, with samples designated for grain size, inorganic elemental, and organic matter analyses.

Time Range

29 May to 16 August 2017.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 08:22:32.718899; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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