Marine Futures Project - Point Ann - biota

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生态价值的利用之间关系的深化认知，对西澳大利亚州核心海洋生态系统的现状开展基准测评。研究团队采用水声学（hydroacoustics）技术与Reson 8101多波束测深系统（Reson 8101 Multibeam）完成了约1500平方千米海底的测绘工作，并通过拖曳式视频样带（towed video transects）与诱饵式远程水下视频系统（baited remote underwater video systems）对预估底栖生境（benthic habitats）进行实地验证。随后将两类数据源整合至空间预测建模框架（spatial predictive modelling framework）中，生成可展示底质类型、生物群落结构（biotic formations）等分布范围的精细尺度生境地图。本次调研覆盖9个研究区域，其中包括安角（Point Ann）。该区域地处西澳大利亚州南海岸奥尔巴尼（Albany）以东约180公里处，位于菲茨杰拉尔德生物圈保护区（Fitzgerald Biosphere）范围内——该保护区为联合国教科文组织（UNESCO）认定的国际生物圈保护区，同时也是澳大利亚环境与保育部（Department of Environment and Conservation, DEC）所辖的澳大利亚规模最大、生态价值最显著的国家公园之一。