Australia's Coastal Ecosystems Mapped from Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery

DEA Coastal Ecosystems is the first national dataset to simultaneously map Australia's mangrove, saltmarsh, intertidal, and intertidal seagrass ecosystems. It provides annual time-series maps at 10-meter resolution using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery for consistent continental-scale analysis. The product suite is managed by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Calculate carbon storage estimates using annual maps of mangrove and saltmarsh extent.
• Monitor ecological change and habitat loss by analyzing time-series data for seagrass meadows.
• Identify priority areas for coastal protection by modeling erosion risk with intertidal zone maps.
• Fill spatial and temporal gaps in expert aerial surveys by integrating the consistent 10m resolution satellite maps.
• Support national environmental accounts by tracking changes in ecosystem coverage for mangroves, saltmarshes, and seagrasses.

Strengths

• First national dataset to map four key coastal ecosystem types simultaneously for Australia.
• Provides annual time-series at a consistent 10-meter spatial resolution.
• Enables continental-scale analysis using publicly available Sentinel-2 satellite imagery.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and sample data are unavailable for review.
• The dataset's accuracy for specific local applications may require validation against higher-resolution field surveys.
• License terms and detailed column schema are not provided in the source description.

Provenance

Source

Digital Earth Australia (DEA) product suite, via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Generated from annual time-series of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery using Earth Observation (EO) techniques.

Time Range

Annual time-series, specific start year unknown.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026, indicating active maintenance.

Geography

Continental scale, covering the coastline of Australia.