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Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Kovacs, Eva M; Lyons, Mitchell B; Phinn, Stuart R (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia, 2004-2015 [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846147, Supplement to: Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Kovacs, Eva M; Phinn, Stuart R (2015): Field data sets for seagrass biophysical properties for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay, Australia, 2004–2014. Scientific Data, 2, 150040, https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2015.40

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Abstract:
This paper describes seagrass species and percentage cover point-based field data sets derived from georeferenced photo transects. Annually or biannually over a ten year period (2004-2015) data sets were collected using 30-50 transects, 500-800 m in length distributed across a 142 km**2 shallow, clear water seagrass habitat, the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay, Australia. Each of the eight data sets include seagrass property information derived from approximately 3000 georeferenced, downward looking photographs captured at 2-4 m intervals along the transects. Photographs were manually interpreted to estimate seagrass species composition and percentage cover (Coral Point Count excel; CPCe). Understanding seagrass biology, ecology and dynamics for scientific and management purposes requires point-based data on species composition and cover. This data set, and the methods used to derive it are a globally unique example for seagrass ecological applications. It provides the basis for multiple further studies at this site, regional to global comparative studies, and, for the design of similar monitoring programs elsewhere.
Related to:
Lyons, Mitchell B; Phinn, Stuart R; Roelfsema, Christiaan M (2011): Integrating Quickbird Multi-Spectral Satellite and Field Data: Mapping Bathymetry, Seagrass Cover, Seagrass Species and Change in Moreton Bay, Australia in 2004 and 2007. Remote Sensing, 3(12), 42-64, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs3010042
Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Kovacs, Eva M; Saunders, Megan I; Phinn, Stuart R; Lyons, Mitchell B; Maxwell, Paul (2013): Challenges of remote sensing for quantifying changes in large complex seagrass environments. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 133, 161-171, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.026
Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Lyons, Mitchell B; Dunbabin, Matthew; Kovacs, Eva M; Phinn, Stuart R (2015): Integrating field survey data with satellite image data to improve shallow water seagrass maps: the role of AUV and snorkeller surveys? Remote Sensing Letters, 6(2), 135-144, https://doi.org/10.1080/2150704X.2015.1013643
Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Lyons, Mitchell B; Kovacs, Eva M; Maxwell, Paul; Saunders, Megan I; Samper-Villarreal, Jimena; Phinn, Stuart R (2014): Multi-temporal mapping of seagrass cover, species and biomass: A semi-automated object based image analysis approach. Remote Sensing of Environment, 150, 172-187, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2014.05.001
Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Phinn, Stuart R; Udy, Nicola; Maxwell, Paul (2009): An integrated field and remote sensing approach for mapping Seagrass Cover, Moreton Bay, Australia. Journal of Spatial Science, 54(1), 45-62, https://doi.org/10.1080/14498596.2009.9635166
Coverage:
Median Latitude: -27.412916 * Median Longitude: 153.386778 * South-bound Latitude: -27.504809 * West-bound Longitude: 153.327200 * North-bound Latitude: -27.321230 * East-bound Longitude: 153.437572
Date/Time Start: 2004-07-28T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2015-06-17T00:00:00
Comment:
Underwater georeferenced photo-transect surveys were conducted at different locations in the shallow waters (0.5-2.5m) of the Eastern Banks seagrass meadows, Moreton Bay, Australia. For these surveys, a snorkeler(s) swam over the bottom while taking photos of the benthos at a set height using a standard digital camera and towing a surface float GPS which was logging its track every five seconds. The camera lens provided a 1.0 m x 1.0 m footprint, at 0.5 m height above the benthos. Horizontal distance between photos was estimated by fin kicks of the survey snorkeler, and corresponded to a surface distance of approximately 2.0 - 4.0 m.
Approximation of coordinates of each benthic photo was done based on the photo timestamp and GPS coordinate time stamp, using GPS Photo Link Software (www.geospatialexperts.com). Coordinates of each photo were interpolated by finding the gps coordinates that were logged at a set time before and after the photo was captured.
Dominant benthic or substrate cover type was assigned to each photo by placing 24 points random over each image using the Coral Point Count excel program (Kohler and Gill, 2006). Each point was then assigned a dominant cover type. Using a benthic cover type classification scheme containing seven first-level categories (seagrass, seagrass plus, macro algae calcareous, macro algae non calcareous, cyanobacteria and other algae, substratum, and, other) and 41 subcategories.
Benthic cover composition summaries of each photo were generated automatically in CPCe. The resulting benthic cover data for each photo was linked to gps coordinates, saved as an ArcMap point shapefile, and projected to Universal Transverse Mercator WGS84 Zone 56 South.
Acknowledgments
Funding provided by: University of Queensland; CSIRO; Cooperative Research Centre Coastal Zone, Estuaries and Waterways Management; ARC Linkage Grant to Prof. J Marshall and Prof. S Phinn; and UQ-UWA Collaborative Research Grant Prof. van Niel. Fieldwork support was provided by: Seagrass Watch Volunteers, Staff and students at the University of Queensland and the UQ Moreton Bay Research Station. WorldView-2 Imagery provided by Digital Globe and ongoing support of Trimble for use of Ecognition.
Note
The 2015 data was additional data that was collected in the same manner as the other years. Although it was not used in the publication, we believed that it should be added to the data set as it expands the collection for anyone wanting to use the data in their own way.
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
9 datasets

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Datasets listed in this publication series

  1. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2004-07. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846264
  2. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2007-08. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846142
  3. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2011-06. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846143
  4. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2012-02. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846144
  5. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2012-06. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846146
  6. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2013-02. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846185
  7. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2013-05. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846186
  8. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2014-07. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846266
  9. Roelfsema, CM; Kovacs, EM; Lyons, MB et al. (2015): Benthic and substrate cover data derived from a time series of photo-transect surveys for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay Australia in 2015-06. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.867188