Sponge Biodiversity Survey of Oceanic Shoals Marine Reserve

348 sponge species were identified from approximately 750 specimens collected in the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve in northern Australia. The dataset, compiled from three marine surveys, supports analysis of biodiversity patterns across carbonate banks and terraces. It was published in a 2015 PLOS ONE study to inform marine management strategies.

Use Cases

• Analyze species richness and assemblage differences among individual raised geomorphic features to assess spatial biodiversity patterns.
• Model relationships between sponge assemblages and environmental variables like mean depth, mean backscatter, and mean slope.
• Compare sponge community structures between eastern and western biogeographic areas of the marine reserve.
• Investigate the association of carbonate banks and other raised geomorphic features with biodiversity hotspots using species-level inventory data.

Strengths

• Contains a species-level inventory of 348 identified sponge species.
• Data is derived from three dedicated marine surveys within a defined Commonwealth Marine Reserve.
• Findings are peer-reviewed and published in a scientific journal (PLOS ONE, 2015).

Limitations

• Only 18% of the 348 sponge species were taxonomically described species, indicating a high proportion of potentially novel or undescribed taxa.
• Sample size is limited to approximately 750 collected specimens from a specific region.
• The dataset's structure and specific columns are not detailed in the available metadata.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data, associated with a published PLOS ONE study.

Collection Method

Species-level inventory compiled from three marine surveys to the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve, northern Australia, focusing on the Sahul Shelf and Van Diemen Rise.