NESP MaC Project 1.11 - OzSET: Australian Surface Elevation Table Data, 2021-2022

Over 200 benchmark monitoring stations measure vertical sediment accretion and elevation change in Australian coastal wetlands. The dataset, collated by Macquarie University and the University of Queensland, integrates Surface Elevation Table-Marker Horizon (SET-MH) data from mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses, and tidal freshwater forests. This information supports assessment of wetland resilience to sea-level rise.

Use Cases

• Assess coastal wetland resilience based on vertical accretion and subsidence measurements.
• Model blue carbon sequestration potential based on sediment accretion data.
• Support coastal risk assessment based on trends in surface elevation relative to sea-level rise.
• Analyze national trends in wetland elevation change based on a collated dataset from over 200 stations.

Strengths

• Includes data from over 200 monitoring stations, described as one of the most extensive SET networks in the world.
• Collates previously uncoordinated national data on accretion, subsidence, and elevation change.
• Covers multiple coastal wetland types: mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses, and tidal freshwater forests.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Collation of data from existing Surface Elevation Table-Marker Horizon (SET-MH) stations.

Time Range

2021-2022

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 22:44:36.108026; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Australia, from Westernport Bay, Victoria to Darwin Harbour, NT.