Orman Reefs Seagrass Survey with Biomass and Species Data, September 2021

151 survey sites document seagrass presence, species composition, and biomass for the intertidal meadows of Orman Reefs in the Torres Strait. The dataset, produced by TropWATER at James Cook University in September 2021, includes three GIS layers detailing site information, meadow boundaries, and biomass interpolation. It also records associated benthic macro-invertebrates, algae, substrate, and megafauna observations.

Use Cases

• Map seagrass meadow distribution and health based on the GIS meadow and interpolation layers.
• Analyze species composition and biomass variation across 151 survey sites.
• Study correlations between seagrass presence and associated benthic fauna or substrate type.
• Monitor changes in intertidal habitats by comparing with future or past survey data.

Strengths

• Surveys 151 distinct georeferenced sites with detailed ecological measurements.
• Integrates field data with rectified satellite imagery and aerial photography for accurate GIS mapping.
• Documents a wide range of variables including species-level biomass, percent cover, sediment type, and megafauna presence.

Limitations

• Row count for the underlying data tables is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation for the meadow layer is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last updated 2026-06-16 18:32:50.220328; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

TropWATER Seagrass Group, James Cook University, and Torres Strait Regional Authority Land and Sea Rangers.

Collection Method

Intertidal benthic surveys with methods tailored to the location, data entered into an ArcGIS 10.8 system using satellite imagery and field notes.

Time Range

September 2021

Freshness

Data collected September 2021; metadata last updated June 2026.

Geography

Orman Reefs, Torres Strait