Lord Howe Island Seabed Infauna and Habitat Mapping Study

Infaunal biodiversity and ecological function data were collected across the Lord Howe Island shelf to examine bio-physical relationships. The study integrated high-resolution multibeam sonar seabed mapping with sediment and infauna sampling using a Smith-McIntyre grab. Research was conducted by the Australian Ocean Data Network, with metadata last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Model infaunal community structure using geomorphic zone, sediment sorting, and mean grain size as predictors.
• Analyze trophic structure and feeding guild distributions across drowned lagoon, relict reef, and outer shelf zones.
• Predict species richness and abundance patterns from seafloor topography and physical disturbance metrics.
• Examine biogeographic isolation effects by comparing densities of brooding endemic species versus mainland taxa.

Strengths

• Integrated fine-scale bio-physical surveys with broad-scale seabed habitat mapping.
• Analysis covers three distinct geomorphic zones across the full extent of the island shelf.

Limitations

• Sample size and specific row count for infaunal records are not provided.
• Geographic scope is limited to the remote Lord Howe Island shelf, limiting generalizability.
• Data format is HTML, which may require extraction for quantitative analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Field sampling with Smith-McIntyre grab and high-resolution multibeam sonar mapping.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Metadata indicates an update in 2026, but the underlying study's collection date is unknown.

Geography

Lord Howe Island shelf, including drowned lagoon, relict reef, and outer shelf zones.