Classified benthic data for mesophotic organisms and substrates around the Lord Howe Island and Balls Pyramid shelves, southwest Pacific Ocean
Description
This dataset contains classified benthic data from 2,668 still images collected using a towed underwater camera system around the Lord Howe Island and Balls Pyramid shelves. Underwater imagery were collected at 39 sites in depths ranging 6 m to 115 m from surveys aboard the RV Southern Surveyor in February 2013 and Lord Howe Island Marine Park vessel Tursiops in November 2013.
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Steps to reproduce
Still images were extracted every 10 m along each tow and classified using a 25 point overlay in Transect Measure. Data is presented as the attributed data for each classified point (Classified_Benthic_data_25Points.xlsx) and as percent cover (Classified_Benthic_data_Percent_Cover.xlsx). Percent cover is calculated as a percentage of the 25 points classified per still. Terms used within this classification were sourced from the CATAMI classification scheme (http://catami.org/). The reference library for organisms observed within the images are available from Mendeley data: 10.17632/r49jptds7j.1 "Image library for mesophotic benthic organisms: Lord Howe Island and Balls Pyramid, southwest Pacific Ocean". Further information on data classification and analysis can be found in the associated papers and thesis: Linklater, M., Carroll, A.G., Hamylton, S.M., Jordan, A.R., Brooke, B.P., Nichol, S.L. and Woodroffe, C.D., 2016. High coral cover on a mesophotic, subtropical island platform at the limits of coral reef growth. Continental Shelf Research, 130, pp.34-46. Linklater, M., 2016. Past and present coral distribution at the latitudinal limit of reef development, southwest Pacific Ocean. Available online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/4684/ Data analysis was funded by the Australian Post Graduate Award. Data collection was funded by the Australian Government National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub, and the University of Wollongong Research Partnership Grant with New South Wales Department of Primary Industry and Lord Howe Island Marine Park.