2021 State of the Environment Report Marine Chapter – Expert Assessment – State and Trend – Water column – epipelagic (0-200 m, off-shelf)

Researchers: Claire Davies (Author) ,  Davies, Claire (Author) ,  Dr Jason Everett (Author) ,  Dr Jason Everett (Author) ,  Emma Flukes (Point of contact)
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Brief description The Marine chapter of the 2021 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "State and Trend of Water column – epipelagic (0-200 m, off-shelf)". ***A PDF of the full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided) is downloadable in the "On-line Resources" section of this record as "EXPERT ASSESSMENT 2021 - State and Trend - Water column – epipelagic (0-200 m, off-shelf)"*** ---------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT/COMMUNITY FOR EXPERT ASSESSMENT The water column (pelagic) community includes microbes, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish and other higher trophic levels including seabirds, marine reptiles and marine mammals. By definition, the pelagic community is mobile, as smaller species are moved passively by currents, and larger species often move over large distances, both horizontally and vertically. Here we focus on the epipelagic zone, which we have defined as the top 200 m of the water column off the continental shelf (i.e., in waters >200 m depth). Across Australia’s management bioregions, we analysed the abundance/biomass of a selected group of pelagic trophic levels: Chlorophyll a (representing phytoplankton biomass) from satellite; and Zooplankton biomass from the IMOS Australian Continuous Plankton Recorder (AusCPR) survey. DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT As our index of phytoplankton biomass, we analysed Chlorophyll a data from the IMOS Satellite Remote Sensing facility. For Zooplankton, we used biomass data from IMOS AusCPR survey. AusCPR data are collected on 5 nautical mile samples and the zooplankton on every 4th sample along a route is washed onto a filter paper, dried and weighed. ---------------------------------------- 2021 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details] • 2021 • Assessment grade: Good Assessment trend: Stable Confidence grade: Very limited (mainly because higher trophic levels not assessed) Confidence trend: Very limited (mainly because higher trophic levels not assessed) Comparability: N/A • 2016 • N/A • 2011 • N/A ---------------------------------------- CHANGES SINCE 2016 SOE ASSESSMENT not previously assessed

Lineage Statement: QUALITY OF DATA USED IN THE ASSESSMENT The Chlorophyll ɑ data from the IMOS Satellite Remote Sensing facility has been validated against other ocean colour production. For Zooplankton biomass, IMOS data are the only time series information available in Australia. Before the introduction of the IMOS AusCPR survey, assessment of zooplankton biomass was not possible in the epipelagic zone. Collecting and counting IMOS AusCPR data adheres to strict quality control protocols (Richardson et al. 2006).

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Notes Credit
Peer reviews of this assessment were provided by: Kerrie Swadling (IMAS, UTAS)

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