Orman Reefs Seagrass Survey Data for Torres Strait, September 2023

137 survey sites across the intertidal zone of Orman Reefs document seagrass presence, species composition, and biomass. The dataset, produced by TropWATER at James Cook University, comprises three GIS shapefiles detailing site-level observations, meadow boundaries, and interpolated biomass. Survey methods were tailored by the TropWATER Seagrass Group and integrated with satellite imagery and aerial photography.

Use Cases

• Map seagrass meadow boundaries based on field notes and satellite imagery.
• Model spatial variation in seagrass biomass across intertidal sites.
• Analyze benthic community composition based on percent cover of corals, sponges, and algae.
• Assess habitat condition using metrics like open substrate cover and dominant sediment type.
• Monitor megafauna presence, such as dugongs and turtles, from survey comments.

Strengths

• Includes data from 137 distinct survey sites.
• Integrates multiple data sources: field surveys, satellite imagery, and aerial photography.
• Provides three complementary GIS layers (site, meadow, interpolation) for spatial analysis.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation for the meadow and interpolation layers are unknown.
• Data freshness should be verified as the last metadata update was 2026-06-16.
• The dataset's scale and completeness for the Torres Strait region beyond September 2023 are unknown.

Provenance

Source

TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water & Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University.

Collection Method

Field surveys developed by the TropWATER Seagrass Group, with data processed in ArcGIS 10.8 using rectified satellite imagery.

Time Range

September 2023

Freshness

Survey conducted September 2023; metadata last updated 2026-06-16.

Geography

Orman Reefs, Torres Strait, Australia.