Four-dimensional connectivity modelling with application to Australia's north and northwest marine environments

Created 19/11/2025

Updated 19/11/2025

A fully four-dimensional (3D × time) object-oriented biophysical dispersal model was developed to simulate the movement of marine larvae over semi-continuous surfaces. The model is capable of handling massive numbers of simulated larvae, can accommodate diverse life history patterns and distributions of characteristics, and saves point-level information to a relational database management system. The model was used to study Australia's northwest marine region, with attention given to connectivity patterns among Australia's north-western Commonwealth Marine Reserves (CMRs). Animations of larval movement near the Gascoyne canyon CMR, dispersal surfaces over depth and time for CMRs and Key Ecological Features in the northwest, as well as matrices of connectivity values among CMRs are shown. The matrices are further analysed to identify the sensitivity and elasticity of their values. The results generated by this model can aid in designing and managing marine protected area networks that incorporate extensive and complex benthic terrain (including the identification of marine ‘corridors’), and for developing targeted field sampling strategies. Citation:Kool, J. T., Nichol, S. L. 2015. Four-dimensional connectivity modelling with application to Australia's north and northwest marine environments, Environmental Modelling & Software, 65: 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2014.11.022

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Field Value
Title Four-dimensional connectivity modelling with application to Australia's north and northwest marine environments
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/c0a4d9e3-257c-4677-9e5f-54ce0984806e
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 24/06/2025
Geospatial Coverage Australia
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Four-dimensional connectivity modelling with application to Australia's north and northwest marine environments". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/four-dimensional-connectivity-modelling-with-application-to-australias-north-and-northwest-mari1