Data and code for: Large-scale benthic habitat classification in the Indian Ocean high seas

This repository contains the dataset and analytical code supporting the research article: "Large-scale benthic habitat classification in the Indian Ocean high seas: Integrating environmental drivers and biological validation". The study develops a data-driven benthic habitat classification framework across the Indian Ocean high seas. By integrating key environmental drivers—including topography, nutrients, and water mass structure—via the Clustering Large Applications (CLARA) algorithm, a total of 24 habitat types were identified. The research establishes a spatially explicit foundation for ecosystem-based management and deep-sea conservation under the emerging BBNJ Agreement. This dataset and related research are supported by the United Nations Ocean Decade Programme Digital DEPTH.