Geomorphology of the Australian Margin and Adjacent Seafloor, 48.9 Million km²

48.9 million km² of seafloor surrounding the Australian mainland and island territories has been systematically mapped for 21 geomorphic feature types. The mapping, based on a 250 m resolution bathymetry model, identified 6,702 individual features, with reefs being the most numerous type. This dataset was produced by the Australian Ocean Data Network and provides a foundational geomorphic regionalization for inferring broad-scale seafloor habitats.

Use Cases

• Classify seafloor habitats based on the 21 mapped geomorphic feature types.
• Analyze continental margin structure based on the distribution of shelves, slopes, rises, and abyssal plains.
• Compare regional geomorphic assemblages across the 10 defined geomorphic regions.
• Study coral reef distribution and density using the 4,172 individual reef features mapped.
• Assess the global significance of marginal plateaus, which cover 20% of the world's total area of this feature type on the Australian margin.

Strengths

• Covers a vast area of 48.9 million km², including the Australian mainland and key island territories.
• Identifies 6,702 individual geomorphic features across 21 distinct types.
• Uses a systematic mapping methodology based on a new, 250 m spatial resolution bathymetry model.
• Provides quantitative breakdowns of area coverage for major feature classes like shelf (21.92%), slope (44.80%), and abyssal plain (32.20%).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Freshness should be verified; last updated date is 2026-06-16 21:44:48.619365.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Systematic mapping using a 250 m spatial resolution bathymetry model and supporting literature.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-16 21:44:48.619365.

Geography

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