From Australian Oceans Data Network
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Key Ecological Features of the North-west Marine Region.

Created 23/06/2025

Updated 23/06/2025

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The North-west Bioregional Profile identifies a number of ecological features that are of conservation value because of the role they play in the environment of the North-west Marine Region. Key ecological features (KEFs) meet one or more of the following criteria:

a species, group of species, or a community with a regionally important ecological role (e.g. a predator, prey that affects a large biomass or number of other marine species);

a species, group of species, or a community that is nationally or regionally important for biodiversity;

an area or habitat that is nationally or regionally important for: a) enhanced or high productivity (such as predictable upwellings - an upwelling occurs when cold nutrient-rich waters from the bottom of the ocean rise to the surface); b) aggregations of marine life (such as feeding, resting, breeding or nursery areas); c) biodiversity and endemism (species which only occur in a specific area); or

a unique seafloor feature, with known or presumed ecological properties of regional significance.

KEFs have been identified by the Australian Government on the basis of advice from scientists about the ecological processes and characteristics of the area. A workshop held in Perth in September 2007 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features. Thirteen KEFs have been identified in the North-west Marine Region: Ancient coastline at 125 m depth contour Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island and surrounding Commonwealth waters Canyons linking the Argo Abyssal Plain and Scott Plateau Canyons linking the Cuvier Abyssal Plain and the Cape Range Peninsula Carbonate bank and terrace system of the Sahul Shelf Commonwealth waters adjacent to Ningaloo Reef Continental Slope Demersal Fish Communities Exmouth Plateau Glomar Shoals Mermaid Reed and Commonwealth waters surrounding the Rowley Shoals Pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin Seringapatam Reef and Commonwealth waters in the Scott Reef Complex Wallaby Saddle In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the North-west Marine Region, some interpretation of the information was required. DoE has made every effort to use the best available spatial information, and best judgement on how to spatially represent the features based on the scientific advice provided. This does not preclude others from making their own interpretation of available information.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Key Ecological Features of the North-west Marine Region.
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/d3171038-4730-4d82-b78e-58537aaf2d47
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
marine.metadata@environment.gov.au
Reference Period 25/09/2009
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        109.2335,
        -26.1573
      ],
      [
        128.3788,
        -26.1573
      ],
      [
        128.3788,
        -11.2763
      ],
      [
        109.2335,
        -11.2763
      ],
      [
        109.2335,
        -26.1573
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "Key Ecological Features of the North-west Marine Region.". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/key-ecological-features-of-the-north-west-marine-region