BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 917          Total No. of Sites: 0
Survey/Project Name: Kangaroo Island Seagrass Monitoring
Abstract: This dataset contains all Seagrass Monitoring Sites from Kangaroo Island (KI), South Australia conducted by the Coast and Marine Program, Natural Resources Kangaroo Island. Seagrass monitoring is conducted to detect changes in the cover and condition of seagrass meadows over time. This monitoring has been conducted as part of the Caring For Our Country-funded Catchment to Coast project. Monitoring locations are located within Nepean and Emu Bays on the north-eastern coast of KI, and are situated in areas of seagrass meadow with relatively homogeneous cover. Three metrics were chosen with which to assess seagrass extent and condition: 1. canopy cover 2. epiphyte load (biomass) 3. abundance of opportunistic macroalgae (organic matter). Canopy cover is measured as percentage area of seabed covered with seagrass meadow. Condition is determined by assessing epiphytic algal growth, and the abundance (percent cover) of opportunistic macroalgae. All monitoring sites within each monitoring location are arranged along an evenly-spaced grid. This delivers data that can be interpolated in a GIS to produce raster outputs (surfaces) of seagrass cover and condition. The spacing of the grid varies according to the total area of the monitoring location, with the aim of selecting approximately 50 monitoring sites at each location. Surface-based underwater videography is used for capturing the data. At each monitoring site, a straight-line video transect is recorded. Video footage is processed in-office. Footage is paused at ten equal time intervals during each transect yielding ten visual `frame grabs'. Each frame grab is assessed for percent cover of seagrass and other habitat types. The ten frame grabs for each transect are then averaged to produce an overall percentage of cover etc. for each monitoring site.
 
Start Date: 01/01/2009      End Date: 31/12/2020
Survey Type: Vegetation Only
   
Study Area Description: Currently the study areas are on the eastern end of Kangaroo Island - focussing on regions around Emu Bay, Bay of Sholes, Western Cove and Eastern Cove. 12 locations have been established within the 4 regions.
Objectives
         Vegetation: Refer to Abstract.
         Fauna: *** No fauna survey objectives recorded
Methodology
         Vegetation: At some sampling sites a 35 metre U/W drift video transect is captured using the Morphvision Morphvision underwater video camera. The video footage is then processed in the office. Ten frame grabs for each transect are assessed for seagrass cover and condition and this information is entered into the relevant database. The Sonde data is downloaded and stored in the relevant database. Other collection methods are using a sea scope to assess seagrass cover, species composition and epiphyte rating. All data was recorded in-field, no post processing was necessary.
         Fauna: *** No vertebrate methodology recorded

Data Distribution Rules: Public Dataset
Project Basis: Vegetation : Monitoring - Vegetation/Ecosystem (ie species records - usually re-visited for ongoing monitoring) NOTE:NON Std Svy methodology may have been used.
Information Authority: Department for Environment and Heritage (BDBSA:Kangaroo Island)