Key Ecological Features (polygons) - SW marine planning region.

The Bioregional Profile identifies a number of ecological features that are of conservation value because of the role they play in the environment of the South-west Marine Region. Key ecological features 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.Key ecological features 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 Perth in September 2006 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features.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.In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the South-west Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DoE 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.

生物区域概况（Bioregional Profile）识别出了一批具备保护价值的生态特征，这些特征因其在西南海洋区域（South-west Marine Region）的生态环境中发挥的功能而具有保护意义。

关键生态特征（Key Ecological Features，KEFs）需满足以下一项或多项判定标准：
1. 具备区域重要生态功能的物种、物种群或群落（例如：捕食者、可影响大规模生物量或其他海洋物种种群的猎物）；
2. 对国家或区域生物多样性具有重要意义的物种、物种群或群落；
3. 对国家或区域而言具备以下重要属性的区域或生境：
a) 高或增强型生产力（例如可预测的上升流——上升流指海洋底层富含营养物质的冷水上浮至表层的现象）；
b) 海洋生物聚集区（例如觅食、休憩、繁殖或育苗场）；
c) 生物多样性与特有性（仅分布于特定区域的物种）；
4. 具有区域级重要生态属性（已证实或推测）的独特海底地貌。

关键生态特征由澳大利亚政府依据科学家针对该区域生态过程与特征提供的科学建议予以认定。2006年9月于珀斯举办的专题研讨会也为该科学建议提供了支撑，并为关键生态特征的认定奠定了基础。

目前西南海洋区域已识别出16项关键生态特征（KEFs）：
1. 霍特曼·阿布洛霍斯群岛周边的联邦管辖海域；
2. 珀斯峡谷及相邻陆架坡折带，以及西海岸其他峡谷；
3. 西海岸近岸潟湖内部及毗邻区域的联邦管辖海域；
4. 乔治湾内部及毗邻区域的联邦管辖海域；
5. 门特尔角上升流区；
6. 纳蒂斯特海台（Naturaliste Plateau）；
7. 迪亚曼蒂纳断裂带（Diamantina Fracture Zone）；
8. 奥尔巴尼峡谷群及相邻陆架坡折带；
9. 勒谢什群岛周边的联邦管辖海域；
10. 90-120米水深的古海岸线；
11. 袋鼠岛池、峡谷及相邻陆架坡折带，以及艾尔半岛上升流区；
12. 中尺度涡旋（点位）；
13. 西部底层斜坡及相关鱼类群落；
14. 西部岩龙虾；
15. 大澳大利亚湾东部底栖无脊椎动物群落，无空间分布数据；
16. 西南海洋区域小型中上层鱼类，无空间分布数据。

为生成西南海洋区域关键生态特征的空间分布表征，需对现有信息进行一定解读。澳大利亚环境部（DoE）已尽最大努力采用现有最优空间数据，并基于所提供的科学建议，就如何对这些特征进行空间表征作出了最佳判断。本内容并不排除其他主体基于现有信息自行作出解读的可能。