Great Barrier Reef Submerged Bank Habitat Extent and Suitability

25,600 km² of submerged bank area in the Great Barrier Reef, with a mean depth of around 27 m, is identified as potential deep reef habitat. Predictive modelling indicates more than half (around 14,000 km²) is suitable for coral communities. The data was published in a 2013 study by Harris et al. and is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Modeling deep coral reef habitat suitability based on bathymetric and spatial distribution data
• Assessing the relative extent of near-sea-surface versus deep reef habitats for biodiversity conservation
• Planning marine protected areas based on the spatial distribution of submerged bank areas
• Studying the impact of ocean warming on coral reef habitat availability

Strengths

• Provides specific area estimates: 16,110 km² for near-sea-surface reefs and 25,600 km² for submerged banks
• Includes a predictive habitat model output indicating around 14,000 km² is suitable for coral
• Focuses on a globally significant and well-studied ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Data is from a 2013 study; freshness should be verified for current applications

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, based on research by Harris et al. (2013)

Collection Method

Likely derived from bathymetric and seabed mapping data, combined with predictive habitat modelling.

Time Range

Study published in 2013; temporal coverage of underlying data is not specified.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 18:19:23.958312; freshness should be verified

Geography

Great Barrier Reef, Australia, continental shelf