Benthic habitat characterisation of Montgomery Reef, Kimberley region, Western Australia using towed video (Towvid)

The AIMS towed video system was used to survey the deeper water (between 10 and 53 metres) to the north and south of the reef. The system was flown at approximately 1 metre above the sea floor with real time analysis of the video footage (AIMS Towvid) used to examine the broad scale distribution of dominant benthic biota. In addition to video footage, a downward facing digital still camera was attached to the bottom of the towed body. The camera was set to photograph the benthos approximately every 5 metres. The high resolution images allowed for a more detailed assessment of the benthic community. The objectives of the research were three-fold:1. to provide a broad- and fine-scale characterisation the benthic communities and substratum at Montgomery Reef2. to identify similarities and differences in the benthic communities examined and3. to undertake a detailed spatial analysis to examine and map the distribution of these benthic organisms and communities.This research was the first detailed quantitative survey of the benthic communities of Montgomery Reef. Univariate, multivariate and spatial statistics are employed to examine both the similarities and differences in the distribution and relative abundance of these benthic communities. This study is part of a broader regional survey of the Kimberley fringing reefs initiated by AIMS in 2009.

本研究采用AIMS（澳大利亚海洋科学研究所，Australian Institute of Marine Science）拖拽式视频系统，对该礁体南北两侧10至53米的深水区域开展勘测。该系统设置于距海底约1米的高度运行，通过对视频影像（AIMS Towvid）的实时分析，探究优势底栖生物的大尺度分布格局。除视频采集外，该拖拽载体底部还加装了一台朝下的数码静态相机，该相机设定为每行进5米拍摄一次底栖生物。高分辨率影像可实现对底栖生物群落更为精细的评估。

本研究的目标分为三项：1. 对蒙哥马利礁（Montgomery Reef）的底栖生物群落与底质开展大尺度与精细尺度的特征描述；2. 明确所勘测底栖生物群落的异同特征；3. 开展精细化空间分析，以探究并绘制上述底栖生物及其群落的分布图谱。

本研究是首次针对蒙哥马利礁底栖生物群落开展的精细化定量勘测。研究采用单变量、多变量及空间统计方法，分析上述底栖生物群落在分布与相对丰度上的异同。本研究是AIMS于2009年启动的金伯利沿岸岸礁区域性综合勘测项目的一部分。