Marine Futures Project - Broke Inlet - 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 Broke Inlet, a relatively remote area 400km south of Perth, between the towns of Augusta and Albany. The nearest major town, Manjimup, is situated 100km north and the small coastal settlement Windy Harbour approximately 30km west of Broke Inlet. The Inlet is entirely surrounded by the D’Entrecasteaux National Park, which is accessible via a sealed road and attracts limited ‘through-traffic’ to the area. The marine environment off Broke is one fairly untouched by major tourism pressures and thus this location was selected due to its relative inaccessibility.

海洋未来项目（Marine Futures Project）旨在基于对海洋生境、生物多样性及其资源利用价值之间关联的深化认知，对西澳大利亚州重点海洋生态系统的现状开展基准评估。研究团队采用水声测绘技术（hydroacoustics）结合Reson 8101多波束测深系统（Reson 8101 Multibeam），对约1500平方千米的海底区域进行测绘，并通过拖曳视频样带与诱饵式远程水下视频系统，对预期底栖生境开展实地验证。随后将两类数据源整合至空间预测建模框架中，生成可展示底质类型、生物群落结构等分布范围的精细尺度生境地图。
本次调查覆盖9个研究区域，其中包括位于珀斯以南400千米、奥古斯塔与奥尔巴尼之间的布鲁克湾（Broke Inlet）——一处相对偏远的区域。该区域以北100千米处为最近的大型城镇曼吉马普（Manjimup），以西约30千米处设有小型滨海定居点温迪港（Windy Harbour）。布鲁克湾全境被丹特尔卡斯托国家公园（D’Entrecasteaux National Park）环绕，该区域可通过铺装公路抵达，但过境交通流量有限。布鲁克湾近海海域基本未受大规模旅游开发压力的影响，因此该区域因其相对难以抵达的区位条件被选为研究样地。