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NE Australia dugong distribution and relative density groups
Spatially-explicit models of dugong density and distribution were developed using data from marine megafauna aerial surveys conducted in NE Australia. The method followed Grech and Marsh (2007) and Grech et al. (2011) with improvements as per Sobtzick et al. (2017). Input data: Dugong counts corrected for perception and depth-specific availability probabilities as per the Hagihara method, except in Torres Strait. Model: The data were modelled using the geostatistical interpolation method Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK) in ArcGIS 10.7. The semivariogram type was linear and the smoothed search neighbourhood was set to a radius of 5000m. Relative densities were calculated at a grid size of 1 km2. Dugong densities per grid cell were classified as Low (0 dugongs per km2); Medium (0-0.5 dugongs per km2); High (0.5-1 dugongs per km2), and Very high (>1 dugongs per km2). Grid cells with 0 dugongs per km2 were included: (1) to ensure that the spatial layers of dugong density extended across the entire survey area; (2) because dugongs are likely to move across grids where they were not detected during the surveys, and (3) because we have not attempted to estimate abundance for areas where dugongs were not sighted. The value of grid cells in the data are: 1 = Low; 2 = Medium; 3 = High; 4 = Very high.
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    Data record related to this publication NE Australia dugong distribution and relative density groups
    Data Publication title NE Australia dugong distribution and relative density groups
  • Description
    Spatially-explicit models of dugong density and distribution were developed using data from marine megafauna aerial surveys conducted in NE Australia. The method followed Grech and Marsh (2007) and Grech et al. (2011) with improvements as per Sobtzick et al. (2017). Input data: Dugong counts corrected for perception and depth-specific availability probabilities as per the Hagihara method, except in Torres Strait. Model: The data were modelled using the geostatistical interpolation method Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK) in ArcGIS 10.7. The semivariogram type was linear and the smoothed search neighbourhood was set to a radius of 5000m. Relative densities were calculated at a grid size of 1 km2. Dugong densities per grid cell were classified as Low (0 dugongs per km2); Medium (0-0.5 dugongs per km2); High (0.5-1 dugongs per km2), and Very high (>1 dugongs per km2). Grid cells with 0 dugongs per km2 were included: (1) to ensure that the spatial layers of dugong density extended across the entire survey area; (2) because dugongs are likely to move across grids where they were not detected during the surveys, and (3) because we have not attempted to estimate abundance for areas where dugongs were not sighted. The value of grid cells in the data are: 1 = Low; 2 = Medium; 3 = High; 4 = Very high.
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  • Other Descriptors
    • Descriptor
      • Descriptor type
    • Data type dataset
  • Keywords
    • Dugong
    • Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
    • Gulf of Carpentaria
    • Torres Strait
    • Hervey Bay
    • Moreton Bay
    • aerial surveys
    • ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
  • Funding source
    • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
    • National Environmental Research Program Tropical Ecosystems Hub
    • Australian Marine Mammal Centre
    • TropWater
  • Research grant(s)/Scheme name(s)
    • -
    • Research themes
    Tropical Ecosystems, Conservation and Climate Change
    FoR Codes (*)
    SEO Codes
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    Specify spatial or temporal setting of the data
    Temporal (time) coverage
  • Start Date 2021/11/26
  • End Date 2021/11/26
    • Time Period
    Spatial (location) coverage
  • Locations
    • Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Gulf of Carpentaria, Torres Strait, Hervey Bay, Moreton Bay
- Data
    Data Locations

    Type Location Notes
    Attachment NEAusDugNov2021.zip
    The Data Manager is: Alana Grech
    College or Centre ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
    Access conditions Open: free access under license
  • Alternative access conditions
    • Data record size 1 zip file: 69 KB
- Related resources
- License
    Select or add a licence for the data
    The data will be licensed under CC BY: Attribution 3.0 AU
  • Other Licence
    • Statement of rights in data
  • Data owners
      James Cook University
- Citation
    Citation Marsh, Helene; Grech, Alana (2021): NE Australia dugong distribution and relative density groups. James Cook University. https://doi.org/10.25903/pmz0-p693