Marine Futures Project - Point Ann - reef habitat

The Marine Futures Project was designed to benchmark the current status of key Western Australian marine ecosystems, based on an improved understanding of the relationship between marine habitats, biodiversity and our use of these values. Approximately 1,500 km2 of seafloor were mapped using hydroacoustics (Reson 8101 Multibeam), and expected benthic habitats "ground-truthed" using towed video transects and baited remote underwater video systems. Both sources of information were then combined in a spatial predictive modelling framework to produce fine-scale habitat maps showing the extent of substrate types, biotic formations, etc.

Surveys took place across 9 study areas, including Point Ann, a site which lies within the Fitzgerald Biosphere, a UNESCO designated International Biosphere Reserve and one of the largest and biologically significant National Parks in Australia (DEC) on West Australia’s south coast, approximately 180km east of Albany.

海洋未来项目 (Marine Futures Project) 旨在基于对海洋生境、生物多样性与人类对这些资源价值的利用之间关系的更深入认知，对西澳大利亚州关键海洋生态系统的现状开展基准评估。研究团队采用水声勘测 (hydroacoustics) 技术（使用Reson 8101多波束测深系统 (Reson 8101 Multibeam)）绘制了约1500平方千米的海底地图，并通过拖曳视频样带 (towed video transects) 与诱饵式远程水下视频系统 (baited remote underwater video systems) 对预期底栖生境 (benthic habitats) 开展实地校验。随后将两类数据源整合至空间预测建模框架 (spatial predictive modelling framework) 中，生成了可展示底质类型、生物群落结构等信息的精细尺度生境地图。
本次勘测覆盖9个研究区域，其中包括安角 (Point Ann)。该点位坐落于菲茨杰拉德生物圈保护区内——这是一处由联合国教科文组织 (UNESCO) 认定的国际生物圈保护区，同时也是澳大利亚规模最大且具有重要生物学意义的国家公园之一 (DEC)，地处西澳大利亚州南海岸，位于奥尔巴尼以东约180千米处。