Key Ecological Features (polygons) - SW marine planning region.

Brief description

The Bioregional Profile identifies a number of ecological features that are of conservation value because of the role they play in the environment of the South-west Marine Region. Key ecological features meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. a species, group of species, or a community with a regionally important ecological role (e.g. a predator, prey that affects a large biomass or number of other marine species);

2. a species, group of species, or a community that is nationally or regionally important for biodiversity;

3. an area or habitat that is nationally or regionally important for:

a) enhanced or high productivity (such as predictable upwellings - an upwelling occurs when cold nutrient-rich waters from the bottom of the ocean rise to the surface);

b) aggregations of marine life (such as feeding, resting, breeding or nursery areas);

c) biodiversity and endemism (species which only occur in a specific area); or

4. a unique seafloor feature, with known or presumed ecological properties of regional significance.

Key ecological features have been identified by the Australian Government on the basis of advice from scientists about the ecological processes and characteristics of the area. A workshop held in Perth in September 2006 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features.

Sixteen KEFs have been identified in the South-west Marine Region:

1. Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos Islands
2. Perth Canyon and adjacent shelf break, and other west coast canyons
3. Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to the west coast inshore lagoons
4. Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to Geographe Bay
5. Cape Mentelle upwelling
6. Naturaliste Plateau
7. Diamantina Fracture Zone
8. Albany Canyons group and adjacent shelf break
9. Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Recherche Archipelago
10. Ancient coastline at 90-120 m depth
11. Kangaroo Island Pool, canyons and adjacent shelf break, and Eyre Peninsula upwellings.
12. Meso-scale eddies (points).
13. Western demersal slope and associated fish communities.
14. Western rock lobster.
15. Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight. No spatial representation available.
16. Small pelagic fish of the South-west Marine Region. No spatial representation available.

In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the South-west Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DoE has made every effort to use the best available spatial information, and best judgement on how to spatially represent the features based on the scientific advice provided. This does not preclude others from making their own interpretation of available information.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: The Key Ecological Features layer in this dataset represent the features identified in the South-west Bioregional Profile.

The Key Ecological Features (KEFs) polygon layer was created from information provided to DoE at scientific based workshops, discussions held with relevant scientific experts as part of the development of the South-west Bioregional Profile, and information contained in published research reports.

In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the South-west Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DoE has made every effort to use the best available spatial information, and best judgement on how to spatially represent the features based on the scientific advice provided. This does not preclude others from making their own interpretation of the available information.

Following is more detailed information on the source of the spatial representation for individual KEFs for the South-west Marine Region:

1. Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. Description: Based on the 12nm territorial boundary around the Houtman Abrolhos Island group from the Geoscience Australia, Australian Maritime Boundary (AMB) dataset.

2. Perth Canyon and adjacent shelf break and other west coast canyons. Description: Includes all canyons in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset offshore from Kalbarri to south of Perth. A separate dataset was created for the Perth canyon and is based on the specific canyon, along with additional areas of the shelf break between 200 m and 500 m depth which are biologically important area for blue whales.

3. Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to the west coast inshore lagoons. Description: Based on waters less than 30m depth, in commonwealth waters, from Kalbarri to slightly south of Mandurah.

4. Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to Geographe Bay.
Description: Largely based on information available on the extent of seagrass in Geographe Bay. The seaward boundary extends from commonwealth waters north of Cape Naturaliste (in about 40m depth), easterly to the 30m depth contour, then northeasterly along the 30m contour before following a line towards the coastal water limit off Point Casuarina (the northern extent of Geographe Bay).

5. Cape Mentelle upwelling. Description: Includes waters between 100m and 450m depth between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.

6. Naturaliste Plateau. Description: Based on area identified in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset.

7. Diamantina Fracture Zone. Description: Based on area identified in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset).

8. Albany Canyons Group and adjacent shelf break. Description: Encompasses all canyons in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset along a 700 km stretch of continental slope from approximately 115deg E to 124deg E, including Broke Canyon in the west and Malcolm Canyon in the east.

9. Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Recherche Archipelago. Description: Based on the 12nm territorial boundary around the Recherche Archipelago Island group from the Geoscience Australia, Australian Maritime Boundary (AMB) dataset.

10. Ancient coastline at 90-120m depth. Description: Based on the area between the 90m and 120 m depth contours derived from the Geoscience Australia bathymetry (Australian bathymetry grid 2009 v4).

11. Kangaroo Island Pool, Canyons and adjacent shelf break, and Eyre Peninsula upwellings. Description: Includes all canyons in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset from the eastern end of the Ceduna Terrace, at approximately 133deg 11min E, and continuing east to the boundary between the South-west and South-east Marine Regions.
This KEF also includes an area of commonwealth waters extending from near Streaky Bay on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula, and then in a southeasterly direction to the boundary between the South-west and South-east Marine Regions. The landward limit is the limit of the state of South Australia, while the seaward extent varies from approximately 45 nautical miles from the mainland in the north-west (Streaky Bay), to the continental shelf margin in the south-east (approximately 30 nautical miles from Kangaroo Island).

12. Meso-scale eddies (several locations).
Description: Only available as indicative point data (see Key Ecological Features (points) - South-west Marine Bioregional Planning Region layer).

13. Western demersal slope and associated fish communities.
Description: Includes the continental slope in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset within the IMCRA 4.0 central western provincial bioregion.

14. Western rock lobster. Description: Commonwealth waters in the South-west Marine Region, to a depth of 150m, north of Cape Leeuwin.

15. Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight. No spatial representation available.

16. Small pelagic fish of the South-west marine region. No spatial representation available.

The polygons are indicative of the area of each Key Ecological Feature.