IMOS - AUV SIRIUS CAMPAIGN: TASMANIA, JUNE 2009

Tasmania (Barrett, Lucier - TAFI; Johnson, Ling - UTAS) The primary objective of this work was to describe biological assemblages associated with rocky reef systems in deep shelf waters on the Tasman Peninsula in SE Tasmania and in the Huon, Freycinet and Bruny Island Marine Protected Areas (MPA), providing a record of community composition at or near the time of designation of these MPAs. Detailed multibeam sonar bathymetry data were previously collected by Geoscience Australia (GA) to provide high-resolution digital elevation maps of the study areas. These maps were used to determine suitable AUV survey locations. At each location, multiple reefs were surveyed at a range of depths from approximately 50 m to 100 m depth. Dive profiles were designed to provide sufficient replication to quantitatively determine abundances of key species/features within depth strata, within reefs, between reefs (km to 100 km scale), and between differing levels of reef complexity. The AUV deployments were part of a multi-disciplinary experimental program to analyse the covariance of co-located fine-resolution seabed habitat data, provided by the EM3002 multibeam sonar coverage, and biological datasets collected at similar spatial scales by Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Baited Remote Underwater Video systems, towed video and the AUV. This program was undertaken with UTAS and GA as part of the Marine Biodiversity Research Hub, a collaborative program funded under the Commonwealth Government's Commonwealth Environmental Research Facilities Program. In addition, the AUV completed high resolution, full seafloor coverage day and night dives at St Helens in the North East to document nocturnal feeding habits of the sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii whose poleward extension has had a significant impact on kelp beds in the North East of Tasmania.\n\nTasmania 06/2009\nScallop fisheries at Maria Island, Freycinet MPA, St Helens urchin barrens, Bruny Island MPA; 18 dives over 7 days of operations.

塔斯马尼亚（Barrett、Lucier——TAFI；Johnson、Ling——塔斯马尼亚大学（University of Tasmania, UTAS)）
本研究的核心目标为描述塔斯马尼亚州东南部塔斯曼半岛深水陆架岩礁系统，以及胡恩、菲欣纳与布鲁尼岛海洋保护区（Marine Protected Area, MPA）内的相关生物群落，记录这些海洋保护区正式划定时或划定前后的群落组成情况。

此前澳大利亚地质调查局（Geoscience Australia, GA）已采集详细的多波束测深声呐数据，为研究区域生成高分辨率数字高程地图，以此确定自主水下航行器（Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, AUV）的适宜勘测点位。

在每个选定点位，对深度约50米至100米范围内的多处岩礁开展勘测。本次AUV勘测剖面的设计旨在实现充分的重复采样，以定量测定深度层内、岩礁内部、岩礁之间（跨度为千米至100千米尺度）以及不同岩礁复杂度等级下，关键物种种群及特征的丰度。

本次自主水下航行器部署属于一项多学科实验计划的组成部分，该计划旨在分析由EM3002多波束声呐覆盖获取的高精度海底生境数据，与通过遥控水下机器人（Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV）、诱饵式远程水下视频系统、拖曳式视频设备及自主水下航行器在相似空间尺度下采集的生物数据集之间的协变关系。本项目由塔斯马尼亚大学与澳大利亚地质调查局联合开展，隶属于澳大利亚联邦政府环境研究设施计划资助的海洋生物多样性研究中心合作项目。

此外，自主水下航行器还在东北部的圣海伦斯完成了高分辨率、全覆盖海底的昼夜潜水任务，以记录罗杰斯顿冠海胆（Centrostephanus rodgersii）的夜间觅食习性——该物种的向极扩散已对塔斯马尼亚东北部的海带床造成了显著影响。

塔斯马尼亚 2009年6月
玛丽亚岛扇贝渔场、菲欣纳海洋保护区、圣海伦斯海胆荒地区域、布鲁尼岛海洋保护区；作业周期7天，共完成18次潜水。