Great Barrier Reef dugong distribution and relative density - Spatial model of aerial surv

Nineteen years of systematic aerial surveys from 1986 to 2005 were aggregated to create a spatial model of dugong distribution and relative density in the Torres Strait region. The dataset, produced by researchers from the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) and James Cook University (JCU), presents modelled relative density and a 3-point conservation value rating. It is an estimate based on geostatistical techniques, with updates noted as part of the National Environmental Research Program.

Use Cases

• Identifying high-priority conservation zones for dugongs based on the modelled relative density and 3-point conservation value rating.
• Analyzing long-term spatial trends in dugong populations based on aggregated survey data from 1986 to 2005.
• Modeling habitat suitability and species distribution using the geostatistical techniques (e.g., universal kriging) described in the source publication.
• Assessing the impact of environmental changes on marine mammal distribution by comparing this historical baseline with more recent survey data.

Strengths

• Aggregates data from 19 years of systematic aerial surveys conducted in six specific years (1986, 1987, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2005).
• Provides a spatially explicit model output, including both relative density estimates and a derived 3-point conservation value classification.
• Methodology is documented in a peer-reviewed publication (Grech and Marsh, 2007), providing transparency.
• Surveys were conducted in optimal seasonal conditions (late spring/early summer) to standardize observation quality.

Limitations

• Data represents relative, not absolute, density as corrections for perception and availability bias were not applied at this spatial scale.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last updated 2026-07-13 15:18:22.214124; freshness should be verified against more recent NERP program surveys.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, based on work by the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) and James Cook University (JCU).

Collection Method

Spatial modelling (universal kriging) applied to aggregated systematic aerial survey data.

Time Range

1986 to 2005 (aggregating surveys from 1986, 1987, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2005).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-13 15:18:22.214124; updates noted as part of an ongoing program.

Geography

Torres Strait region, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.