Marine Key Ecological Features

Key ecological features are the parts of the marine ecosystem that are considered to be of importance for a marine region's biodiversity or ecosystem function and integrity.Key ecological features (KEFs) meet one or more of the following criteria:1. a species, group of species, or a community with a regionally important ecological role (e.g. a predator, prey that affects a large biomass or number of other marine species);2. a species, group of species, or a community that is nationally or regionally important for biodiversity;3. an area or habitat that is nationally or regionally important for: a) enhanced or high productivity (such as predictable upwellings - an upwelling occurs when cold nutrient-rich waters from the bottom of the ocean rise to the surface);b) aggregations of marine life (such as feeding, resting, breeding or nursery areas);c) biodiversity and endemism (species which only occur in a specific area); or4. a unique seafloor feature, with known or presumed ecological properties of regional significance.KEFs have been identified by the Australian Government on the basis of advice from scientists about the ecological processes and characteristics of the area. A workshop held in Darwin in 2007 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features.As new information becomes available, the spatial representations of identified key ecological features will continue to be refined and updated.Sixteen KEFs have been identified in the South-west Marine Region:1. Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos Islands 2. Perth Canyon and adjacent shelf break, and other west coast canyons 3. Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to the west coast inshore lagoons 4. Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to Geographe Bay 5. Cape Mentelle upwelling 6. Naturaliste Plateau7. Diamantina Fracture Zone8. Albany Canyons group and adjacent shelf break 9. Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Recherche Archipelago10. Ancient coastline at 90-120 m depth11. Kangaroo Island Pool, canyons and adjacent shelf break, and Eyre Peninsula upwellings.12. Meso-scale eddies (points).13. Western demersal slope and associated fish communities.14. Western rock lobster.15. Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight. No spatial representation available.16. Small pelagic fish of the South-west Marine Region. No spatial representation available.Thirteen KEFs have been identified in the North-west Marine Region:1. Ancient coastline at 125 m depth contour2. Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island and surrounding Commonwealth waters3. Canyons linking the Argo Abyssal Plain and Scott Plateau4. Canyons linking the Cuvier Abyssal Plain and the Cape Range Peninsula5. Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Sahul Shelf6. Commonwealth waters adjacent to Ningaloo Reef7. Continental Slope Demersal Fish Communities8. Exmouth Plateau9. Glomar Shoals10. Mermaid Reed and Commonwealth waters surrounding the Rowley Shoals11. Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin12. Seringapatam Reef and Commonwealth waters in the Scott Reef Complex13. Wallaby SaddleEight KEFs have been identified in the North Marine Region:1. Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Van Diemen Rise2. Shelf break and slope of the Arafura Shelf3. Tributary canyons of the Arafura Depression4. Gulf of Carpentaria basin5. Gulf of Carpentaria coastal zone6. Plateaux and saddle north-west of the Wellesley Islands7. Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin8. Submerged coral reefs of the Gulf of CarpentariaThree KEFs have been identified in the Coral Sea:1. Tasmantid seamount chain2. Reefs, cays and hebivorous fish of the Queensland Plateau3. Reefs, cays and hebivorous fish of the Marion PlateauEight KEFs were identified in the Temperate East marine Region:1. Tasmantid seamount chain2. Lord Howe seamount chain3. Norfolk Ridge4. Canyons on the eastern continental slope5. Shelf rocky reefs6. Elizabeth and Middleton reefs7. Upwelling off Fraser Island8. Tasman Front and eddy fieldEight KEFs were identified in the South-east Marine Region.1. Seamounts, east and south of Tasmania2. West Tasmanian canyons3. Bonney coast upwelling4. Upwelling east of Eden5. Big Horseshoe canyon6. East Tasmania tropical convergence zone. No spatial representation available7. Bass cascade. No spatial representation available8. Shelf rocky reefs and hard substrate. No spatial representation availableIn order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for each Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DSEWPaC has made every effort to use the best available spatial information and best judgement on how to spatially represent the features based on the scientific advice provided. This does not preclude others from making their own interpretation of available information.