Key Ecological Features (polygons) - North Marine Bioregional Planning Region.

Brief description

The North Bioregional Profile identifies a number of ecological features that are of conservation value because of the role they play in the environment of the North Marine Region. Key ecological features (KEFs) 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.


KEFs 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 Darwin in 2007 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features.

Eight KEFs have been identified in the North Marine Region:

Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Van Diemen Rise
Shelf break and slope of the Arafura Shelf
Tributary canyons of the Arafura Depression
Gulf of Carpentaria basin
Gulf of Carpentaria coastal zone
Plateaux and saddle north-west of the Wellesley Islands
Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin
Submerged coral reefs of the Gulf of Carpentaria

In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the North Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DoE as 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 North 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 North Bioregional Profile, and information contained in published research reports.

In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the North 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 North Marine Region:

Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Van Diemen Rise.
Includes the majority of terrace, bank/shoals and deep/hole/valley areas from the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset which lie northwest of Melville Island. The Malita Shelf Valley was spatially defined based on expert advice from Geoscience Australia. It comprises most of the valley area which lies below 140m depth.

Shelf break and slope of the Arafura Shelf.
Includes the area of slope north of the Van Diemen Rise from the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset. This KEF also includes an adjacent area of shelf, extending south to the terrace edge of the Van Diemen Rise in the western part and bounded by the 100m depth contour in the east. At the eastern end, the area of shelf included extends to approximately the eastern extent of the slope. The reefs and pinnacles within these slope and shelf areas are also included.

Tributary canyons of the Arafura Depression.
Includes all canyons in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset in the northernmost part of the region between approximately 132deg 40min E and 136deg 20min E.

Gulf of Carpentaria basin.
Based on the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset.

Gulf of Carpentaria coastal zone.
The coastal area in the Gulf of Carpentaria, which extends from the State/Territory jurisdictional boundary to the 20metre depth contour, derived from the 2009 bathymetry grid of Australia produced by Geoscience Australia.

Plateaux and saddle north-west of the Wellesley Islands, including the canyon.
Based on the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset.

Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin.
Includes all pinnacles that are located within the Bonaparte Basin (as defined in the Geoscience Australia geomorphic features dataset).

Submerged coral reefs of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Includes known submerged coral reefs in the southern part of the Gulf of Carpentaria as identified by Geoscience Australia. Spatial data was created by interpreting locations and extents from hand drawn maps and should be treated as indicative only.

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