The Australian Government has identified 58 Commonwealth Marine Reserves (CMRs) and 54 Key Ecological Features (KEFs) in Australia’s Commonwealth marine area. Collating existing data and information about these areas is critical to effective biodiversity management and protection.
Approach
An overarching catalogue equipped with powerful, standardised search tools was needed to integrate and enhance the value of disparate marine databases relevant to Australia’s CMRs and KEFs. The catalogue developed in this project, the Australian Region MARine Data Aggregation (ARMADA) facility, provides a single entry point to databases held by a suite of national research networks and agencies and has an unprecedented level of functionality.
ARMADA is able to upload physical and biological observation data via websites from CSIRO, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Ocean Data Network, Geoscience Australia, the Integrated Marine Observing System, the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Science and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). ARMADA is not yet able to search all existing marine data from these providers, but there is strong potential to make more data from these sites visible.
In consultation with staff from the Department of the Environment and Environmental Resources Information Network, a protocol for updating and editing shape files (a file format used for storing geographic information data in GIS computer programs and databases) for KEFs is being established. Improved KEF boundaries will enhance the assessment of existing data sources for each KEF.
Outputs and outcomes
Data summaries are available for 50 regions associated with KEFs, and 173 zones in CMRs. The ARMADA webpage enables the rapid spatial and temporal summary of existing data sources for all Australian KEFs and CMRs. Data rich and data poor areas can be identified.
ARMADA aggregates data for irregular-shaped areas, includes the spatial and temporal resolution of the data, and caters for users who are new to an area of interest. This is a significant advance on the functionality of previous search tools for marine databases.
Inside the data catalogue
A preliminary analysis of the data catalogue shows that most observations in the past 50 years have targeted oceanographic variables, with some biological sampling of upwelling and eddy systems, canyons, deep and shelf seabeds. These data are unlikely to support baseline status assessment, although community composition data may serve as a reference point for contemporary changes associated with climate change. Most biological sampling has been at shelf reefs and areas of enhanced pelagic productivity. These data, augmented by satellite ocean colour observations, are likely to support baseline status assessment in some areas.
The maps and graphs are sample outputs from the data catalogue. At Ningaloo Commonwealth Marine Reserve, biological sampling records are primarily from baited remote underwater video stations in 2005, while hydrological sampling spans 50 years.
Both datasets show a relatively patchy distribution. At the Tasman Front and Eddy Field KEF, sampling is also patchy, but with greater intensity dating back to the 1950s. Biological sampling has targeted pelagic fish and plankton communities.
Inside the data catalogue
A preliminary analysis of the data catalogue shows that most observations in the past 50 years have targeted oceanographic variables, with some biological sampling of upwelling and eddy systems, canyons, deep and shelf seabeds. These data are unlikely to support baseline status assessment, although community composition data may serve as a reference point for contemporary changes associated with climate change. Most biological sampling has been at shelf reefs and areas of enhanced pelagic productivity. These data, augmented by satellite ocean colour observations, are likely to support baseline status assessment in some areas.
The maps and graphs are sample outputs from the data catalogue. At Ningaloo Commonwealth Marine Reserve, biological sampling records are primarily from baited remote underwater video stations in 2005, while hydrological sampling spans 50 years.
Both datasets show a relatively patchy distribution. At the Tasman Front and Eddy Field KEF, sampling is also patchy, but with greater intensity dating back to the 1950s. Biological sampling has targeted pelagic fish and plankton communities.