Seafloor Geomorphic Features of the Australian Margin

A 48.9 million km² area of the Australian margin and adjacent seafloor was systematically mapped for the first time. The Australian Ocean Data Network produced this dataset, which identifies 21 geomorphic feature types from a 250-meter resolution bathymetry model. It includes 6,702 individual features, such as 4,172 coral reefs, and divides the area into 10 distinct geomorphic regions.

Use Cases

• Classify seafloor geomorphic feature types (e.g., shelf, slope, plateau, reef) using the 250 m bathymetry model and supporting literature.
• Analyze the spatial distribution and area coverage of 21 feature types, such as the 1.49 million km² covered by plateaus or the 47,900 km² covered by reefs.
• Compare regional geomorphic assemblages to define the 10 broad-scale geomorphic regions for habitat inference.
• Assess the proportion of global marginal plateaus represented by the Australian margin, which covers 20% of the world's total area for this feature.

Strengths

• Large spatial coverage of 48.9 million km², including the Australian mainland and island territories.
• Systematic mapping of 6,702 individual geomorphic features across 21 distinct types.
• Uses a consistent, high-resolution (250 m) bathymetry model as a base.

Limitations

• Specific temporal coverage for the underlying data collection is not provided.
• The dataset's format is HTML, which may not be directly machine-readable for analysis without extraction.
• Row counts and specific column definitions for individual features are unknown.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Features were identified using a 250-meter spatial resolution bathymetry model and supporting literature.

Freshness

Metadata was last updated on 2026-04-04.

Geography

Seafloor surrounding the Australian mainland and the islands of Christmas, Cocos (Keeling), Macquarie, and Norfolk.