Oyster Harbour Seagrass Distribution And Cover Surveys

208-216 observation points in Oyster Harbour were surveyed in March 2019 and January 2021. The data records seagrass species distribution, percentage cover classes, meadow type, epiphytic cover, and macroalgae cover. A subset of sites includes physical water profiles, secchi depth, and euphotic depth measurements.

Use Cases

• Map seagrass species distribution (Posidonia australis and Posidonia sinuousa) across 208-216 points to model habitat extent.
• Analyze seagrass cover percentage classes (0, <15%, 15-45%, 45-75%, >75%) against epiphytic cover ratings (none to very high) for health assessment.
• Compare meadow type (continuous or patchy) and macroalgae cover categories between the 2019 and 2021 survey periods.
• Model relationships between physical water profiles, secchi depth, and observed seagrass cover at approximately one-third of the survey sites.

Strengths

• Surveys conducted at 208-216 spatially explicit observation points provide detailed estuary coverage.
• Data includes multiple measured attributes: species, cover classes, meadow type, epiphytic cover, and macroalgae cover.
• Temporal coverage from two distinct surveys in 2019 and 2021 allows for change analysis.

Limitations

• Physical water profile data (secchi depth, euphotic depth) is only available for approximately one-third of the sites, limiting full environmental correlation.
• The dataset appears focused on a single estuary (Oyster Harbour), limiting geographic generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (Geospatial and Data Services Manager).

Collection Method

Field survey recording seagrass distribution, cover, and associated metrics at predefined observation points.

Time Range

March 2019 and January 2021.

Freshness

Data last updated March 2026, with underlying surveys from 2019 and 2021.

Geography

Oyster Harbour estuary.