Carnarvon Shelf Marine Biodiversity Survey Data, 2008

A marine biodiversity survey of the Carnarvon Shelf, Western Australia, conducted in August and September 2008. The survey was a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Geoscience Australia aboard the RV Solander. It collected co-located physical and biological data across three main study areas and one additional site.

Use Cases

• Testing physical parameters as surrogates for benthic biodiversity patterns based on the described co-located data collection.
• Analyzing benthic community composition based on the towed underwater video and stills photography mentioned.
• Mapping seafloor characteristics using the multibeam sonar bathymetry and backscatter data collected.
• Studying sediment composition and acoustic profiles from the grab samples and acoustic sediment profile data.

Strengths

• Data collection was designed for high-quality, accurately co-located physical and biological measurements.
• Survey was conducted by authoritative institutions: the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Geoscience Australia.
• Covers three strategically selected study areas (Mandu, Point Cloates, Gnaraloo) and an additional site near the Muiron Islands.

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.
• The report indicates additional processing of most physical and biological data is required before comparative analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, via the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub's Surrogates Program.

Collection Method

Field survey aboard RV Solander employing multibeam sonar, sediment grabs, towed video, photography, and plankton sampling.

Time Range

August and September 2008

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 08:12:31.607014; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Carnarvon Shelf, Western Australia, specifically areas at Mandu, Point Cloates, Gnaraloo, and near the Muiron Islands.