Great Barrier Reef Surficial Cover Facies Maps with Bathymetric Classification

The Bureau of Mineral Resources developed a reconnaissance-style mapping technique for documenting surficial cover on reefs. These maps exhibit only surficial facies and apply a simple bathymetric classification differentiating supratidal, intertidal, and subtidal zones. The data was compiled in 1982 and edited in 1983, with map resolution variable over the reef and generally decreasing with increasing water depth.

Use Cases

• Classifying reef surface composition based on the described surficial facies mapping.
• Analyzing coastal zone distribution based on the applied supratidal, intertidal, and subtidal bathymetric classification.
• Assessing mapping resolution variability in relation to water depth as described in the metadata.

Strengths

• Maps apply a defined bathymetric classification with supratidal, intertidal, and subtidal zones.
• Compilation and editing dates (1982, 1983) are explicitly documented.
• Maximum resolution was retained where possible to aid user location on reefs.

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 maps exhibit only surficial facies, with subsurface facies noted for future integration.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR), compiled by B.M. Radke.

Collection Method

Reconnaissance-style mapping technique developed by BMR.

Time Range

Compiled 1982, edited 1983.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 06:12:35.979032; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Barrier Reef, Australia.