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Classification is a means for seafloor habitat data to be collated and grouped into meaningful and consistent categories.
In the marine environment, seafloor mapping and the application of a consistent, robust classification is the essential foundation on which to build the tools required for effective marine management.
The Seamap Australia classification layers together living, non-living, and contextual components to define a seabed habitat.
The Biogeographic Setting describe variation in biological communities across broad latitudinal and longitudinal gradients.
These variations are functions of climatic, geologic and evolutionary processes.
The Aquatic Setting describes the freshwater influence, geomorphology, depth, tidal regime, and benethic light environment.
The Biotic Component uses broad phylogenetic and taxonomic groups to describe living biota attached or closely associated with the seafloor. This can be any benthic plant, alga, or animal.
Seamap Australia’s Substratum Component classification describes the surface of any non-living material upon or within which biota can attach and grow.
Seamap Australia’s Substratum Origin classification describes the the origin (or composition) of the substratum.
In the last decade there has been significant investment to collect seabed habitat data around the nation by each State and Territory. Government agencies, often in collaboration with university researchers, hold valuable data products that are of use for a variety of purposes in areas including marine management and resource assessment. However, whilst the level of interest in and need for these datasets has grown significantly over the last 4-5 years, access to them is often difficult. The datasets are scattered throughout numerous agencies and institutions Australia-wide, information is often limited and difficult to find, and the use of multiple datasets can be hindered by disparate data collection and inconsistent classification methods.
Based on the disparate nature of the spatial benthic marine data collated from across the country, the need to develop a nationally consistent benthic marine habitat classification scheme was clear.
The report that Seamap Australia is founded upon details a review of existing international and national classification schemes, and proposes a nationally extensive benthic habitat classification for Australia. It includes an explanation of the mechanisms for the choice of classes and hierarchical structure.
A copy of the report can be downloaded below.
Seamap Australia [Version 1.0] the development of a national benthic marine classification scheme for the Australian continental shelf
Classification scheme Version 1.0 2017
The Seamap Australia benthic habitat classification scheme is registered on: Research Vocabularies Australia
Butler, C., Lucieer, V., Walsh, P., Flukes., E and Johnson, C (2017) Seamap Australia [Version 1.0] the development of a national benthic marine classification scheme for the Australian continental shelf. Final Report to the Australian National Data Service (ANDS) High Values Collection #19. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania. 52 pgs.
Authorised by the Executive Director, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.
