Jan Seiler

Non-extractive monitoring of biodiversity on temperate Australian deepwater reefs: Using advanced vision-processing techniques to develop and test reliable biodiversity metrics

Project aim

Develop a non-extractive method to economically and ecologically meaningful monitor temperate deepwater reefs based on biodiversity indices. Answer the question “Can characterisation from video and photographic imagery, acoustics and other physical surrogates effectively predict assemblages present on deeper reef systems (20 – 150 m)?”.

Background and Application

Currently little is known of the overall biota on Tasmanian shelf reef systems below normal diving depths, despite these assemblages forming a
significant component of State fisheries, and an understanding of their distribution being integral to the development of State and Commonwealth
MPAs. This project would vastly improve that knowledge by utilising a range of sampling techniques (AUV, ROV, baited video, Nets) to comprehensively document the assemblages present and to relate these to physical characteristics derived from acoustics provided by related
projects. Opportunities arise in both NSW and Tasmania to relate biological data to planned fine scale mapping of reef systems from 20 m to 150 m and due to existing planned research programs, and existing areas that have been swath-mapped by CSIRO and GA.