Princess Royal Harbour Seagrass Cover and Species Survey 2021

Princess Royal Harbour Seagrass Survey - Cover (DWER-131) contains data from 263 observation points surveyed in January and March 2021. The dataset records seagrass species distribution, percentage cover classes, meadow type, epiphytic cover, and macroalgae cover, with water profile data collected at approximately one-third of sites.

Use Cases

• Map seagrass species distribution (Posidonia australis, Halophila sp., etc.) across 263 observation points to assess habitat extent.
• Analyze seagrass percentage cover classes (0, <15%, 15-45%, etc.) against macroalgae cover categories to study competitive interactions.
• Correlate physical water profiles and secchi depth measurements with epiphytic cover ratings (none to very high) to model environmental drivers.
• Classify meadow type (continuous or patchy) using spatial point data to identify fragmentation patterns in the estuary.

Strengths

• Includes 263 spatially explicit observation points for detailed habitat mapping.
• Records six distinct seagrass species and five standardized percentage cover classes.
• Contains auxiliary environmental data (water profiles, secchi depth) at approximately one-third of sites.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to two months in early 2021, lacking historical or seasonal comparison.
• Water profile data is not available for all 263 sites, creating incomplete environmental records.
• Data collection methods varied (boat vs. kayak), which may introduce consistency issues in observations.

Provenance

Source

Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Geospatial and Data Services Manager.

Collection Method

Field surveys conducted from boat and kayak across Princess Royal Harbour, recording species, cover, meadow type, and environmental parameters.

Time Range

January and March 2021.

Freshness

Data reflects conditions from 2021, though metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Princess Royal Harbour estuary, Western Australia.