NESP TWQ Project 4.13: Gulf of Carpentaria Mangrove Dieback Assessment, 2018-2020

7,400 hectares of mangrove forest suffered dieback along a >1,000km coastline in late 2015, marking the largest such natural event ever recorded. The dataset from James Cook University and the Australian Ocean Data Network assesses the extent and patterns of this dieback from 2018 to 2020. It includes field surveys and Landsat analysis to evaluate recovery and inform future monitoring.

Use Cases

• Mapping the spatial extent of mangrove dieback based on Landsat satellite imagery analysis.
• Assessing patterns of tree mortality and recovery from field survey data.
• Developing recommendations for ecosystem recovery and intervention strategies based on the project's synthesis.

Strengths

• Documents the world's largest recorded natural mangrove dieback event, covering 7,400 hectares.
• Analysis spans a >1,000km wide coastal front, providing a large-scale geographic perspective.
• Project methodology includes training and participation of local Indigenous ranger groups.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific Gulf of Carpentaria study area.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, likely associated with James Cook University (JCU).

Collection Method

Landsat satellite analysis combined with field visits to affected sites.

Time Range

Primary assessment period 2018-2020, analyzing an event from late 2015.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 22:54:40.457326; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern and western Gulf of Carpentaria coastline, Australia, from Karumba to Limmen River.