Mapping Australia’s saltmarsh ecosystems for the blue carbon method (Old ID 27282)
Role
Principal Investigator
Description
This project aims to progress our ability to develop nationwide, highly accurate maps of the distribution of saltmarsh ecosystems. Saltmarshes are important for maintaining biodiversity, nutrient removal, carbon sequestration and storm protection, but there is a severe lack of knowledge regarding their spatial distribution and change in Australia. This project will (i) develop a set of occurrence records that are suitable to deploy as training and validation data in a recently developed Landsat-based classification model of coastal ecosystems (Global Intertidal Change, by CI Murray), (ii) adapt the Global Intertidal Change model developed by CI Murray to Australia’s saltmarsh ecosystems and (iii) consult with a UNSW-based software engineer to port the Global Intertidal Change model to Australia’s national research infrastructure (Digital Earth Australia). Ultimately this work will underpin Australia’s first wall-to-wall to maps of saltmarsh ecosystems. Key benefits to the end-user include convening a community of coastal ecosystem experts to support a sustained national effort to map saltmarshes and compiling disparate information sources on saltmarsh distributions into a single national dataset.
Date
04 Jun 2021 - 03 Jun 2023
Project Type
CONTRACT_RESEARCH
Keywords
Ecosystem science;Earth Observation;Conservation;Coastal ecosystems;Classification;Environmental modelling
Funding Body
Clean Energy Regulator
Amount
170000
Project Team
N/A