Addressing strategic knowledge gaps in the Oceanic Shoals bioregion, Western Australia

BRUVS, Towed Video, Digital Stills, CTD, Multibeam This survey acquired new shoals data that extends AIMS coverage across the bioregion, significantly increasing the information on shoal features within the Commonwealth¿s Oceanic Shoals marine reserve and further undertake strategic research relevant to understanding disturbance and connectivity across the region.Data on the limited number of shoals surveyed to date indicate some shared attributes, in terms of species and habitats present, but also high variability between shoals in the nature and relative abundance of dominant organisms, which we hypothesize may relate to spatially variable disturbance histories from storms, shelf position, water clarity and shoal depth and so on.

本调查采用诱饵式远程水下视频系统（BRUVS）、拖曳式视频、数字静态影像、温盐深仪（CTD）与多波束测深系统（Multibeam），获取了全新的水下沙洲数据集，将澳大利亚海洋科学研究所（AIMS）的调查覆盖范围拓展至整片生物地理区域，大幅扩充了联邦海洋沙洲海洋保护区内沙洲特征的相关数据储备，并同步开展了与解析该区域生态扰动与连通性相关的战略性研究。
截至目前，针对少量已调查沙洲的数据集显示，各沙洲在所栖息的物种与生境类型上存在部分共有特征，但优势生物的群落性质与相对丰度在不同沙洲间差异显著。我们推测，该差异可能与风暴扰动、陆架位置、水体透明度以及沙洲水深等因素引发的空间异质性扰动历史存在关联。