Brief description
Aquatic flora surveys were conducted in the Leschenault Estuary in April 2009. This data is part of the 2013 report "Synthesis of seagrass mapping studies" conducted by the Water Science Branch of the Department of Water. Surveys were initially conducted by the WA Department of Water together with Geoscience Australia. The objective of these surveys was to collect baseline data on seagrass composition and distribution in key estuaries of southern and south-western WA. This data was acquired by the ACEAS Seagrass Group as part of the 2013 Australia-wide risk assessment of Seagrass. Surveys were conducted again 2015-2023 (February 2015, February and March 2016, February 2017, February and March 2018, February 2019, February and March 2020, February 2021, February and March 2022, and February and March 2023) by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as "Leschenault Estuary Seagrass Survey". The datasets making up the 2009 Leschenault Estuary seagrass survey data are: WA_Leschenault_SAV_sites - point dataset of species presence/absence and survey methodology at each site. WA_Leschenault_SAV_polygons - polygon dataset showing interpolated percentage cover in polygons derived from site points. This record provides access to the initial WA DoW surveys. See associated DWER records in Data WA catalogue for access to newer surveys at this site.Lineage
Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: Method as taken from the 2013 report "Synthesis of seagrass mapping studies" conducted by the Water Science Branch of the Department of Water": (The following methodology was adapted from the Wilson Inlet survey in 2008 conducted by Geoscience Australia with the Department of Water).
Maps of submerged aquatic vegetation (predominantly seagrass) were prepared from geo-referenced underwater video data captured in April 2009. Site selection involved the preparation of a 250m by 250m grid referenced aerial image of the estuary. ‘Fixed’ sites were determined by the intersection of the easting and northing lines on the map and were evenly spaced across the extent of the estuary to optimise the area covered across the estuary. Associated with each of the fixed sites were four ‘random’ sites located North, East, South and West of each ‘fixed’ site. The distance between fixed and random sites depended on distance between fixed sites with the objective to maximise coverage between sites.
The underwater video was deployed at each of the fixed and random sites. At the fixed sites, the camera was deployed while the boat was anchored to capture precise point data that corresponded to other sediment and water quality data collected. Camera deployment at each of random sites captured data along transects, with the boat traveling into or with the prevailing winds to minimize movement of the boat and camera. Transects were between 2 and 4 minutes long and covered 50 to 100m at each of the random sites. Species composition and density (as percentage cover) were assessed in the field from the visual image obtained on the video. All transects are recorded for verification.
Seagrass density changes in the estuaries were mapped by the Department of Water using ArcView. Spatial Analyst was used to create the distribution map of seagrass in the Inlet by interpolating density data between the points using the inverse distance weighted method. In the absence of bathymetry data the depth limit of seagrass distribution could not be shown. In these instances seagrass distribution may be overestimated in the deeper sections of the estuary.
Notes
CreditDepartment of Water, Government of Western Australia.
text: westlimit=115.66682; southlimit=-33.320944054137; eastlimit=115.72744; northlimit=-33.20071
Subjects
Abundance of biota |
Biological Sciences |
Benthic habitat |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION | PLANTS | ANGIOSPERMS (FLOWERING PLANTS) | MONOCOTS | SEAGRASS |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS | BENTHIC HABITAT |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE HABITAT |
Ecology |
Environmental Science and Management |
Environmental Sciences |
Environmental Management |
Environmental Sciences Not Elsewhere Classified |
Marine and Estuarine Ecology (Incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
Other Environmental Sciences |
WESTERN AUSTRALIA |
biota |
research vessel |
underwater cameras |
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Other Information
(Leschenault Estuary seagrass polygons 2009 [.shp download])
(2013 Synthesis of seagrass mapping studies [report])
(Associated surveys - seagrass survey - points [Data WA catalogue])
uri :
https://catalogue.data.wa.gov.au/dataset/leschenault-estuary-seagrass-survey-points
(Associated surveys - seagrass survey - cover [Data WA catalogue])
uri :
https://catalogue.data.wa.gov.au/dataset/leschenault-estuary-seagrass-survey-cover
global : a1a2d181-d453-43e1-ae2e-627ec2a9bd1e
Identifiers
- global : 1312EDED-E3C1-47D3-9971-FA35FA45A98D
