The Bioregional Profile identifies a number of ecological features that are of conservation value because of the role they play in the environment of the South-west Marine Region. Key ecological features 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. Key ecological features 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 2006 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features. Sixteen KEFs have been identified in the South-west Marine Region: Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos Islands Perth Canyon and adjacent shelf break, and other west coast canyons Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to the west coast inshore lagoons Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to Geographe Bay Cape Mentelle upwelling Naturaliste Plateau Diamantina Fracture Zone Albany Canyons group and adjacent shelf break Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Recherche Archipelago Ancient coastline at 90-120 m depth Kangaroo Island Pool, canyons and adjacent shelf break, and Eyre Peninsula upwellings. Meso-scale eddies (points). Western demersal slope and associated fish communities. Western rock lobster. Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight. No spatial representation available. Small pelagic fish of the South-west Marine Region. No spatial representation available. In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the South-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.

The Bioregional Profile identifies a number of ecological features that are of conservation value because of the role they play in the environment of the South-west Marine Region. Key ecological features 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. Key ecological features 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 2006 also contributed to this scientific advice and helped to underpin the identification of key ecological features. Sixteen KEFs have been identified in the South-west Marine Region: Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Houtman Abrolhos Islands Perth Canyon and adjacent shelf break, and other west coast canyons Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to the west coast inshore lagoons Commonwealth marine environment within and adjacent to Geographe Bay Cape Mentelle upwelling Naturaliste Plateau Diamantina Fracture Zone Albany Canyons group and adjacent shelf break Commonwealth marine environment surrounding the Recherche Archipelago Ancient coastline at 90-120 m depth Kangaroo Island Pool, canyons and adjacent shelf break, and Eyre Peninsula upwellings. Meso-scale eddies (points). Western demersal slope and associated fish communities. Western rock lobster. Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight. No spatial representation available. Small pelagic fish of the South-west Marine Region. No spatial representation available. In order to create a spatial representation of KEFs for the South-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.

The National Oceans Office undertook in September 2001 an analysis of Bioregionalisation for the Australian South-east Marine Region, an integration of geological, oceanographic and biological data as the basis for bioregionalisation. The biological and physical assessment was intended to contribute to the implementation of ecosystem-based management in the South-east Marine Region by developing a shared understanding of the ecosystem. The assessment had two streams, ecosystem structure and ecosystem function and incorporated the input from these projects among others: - Production of a consistent, high quality bathymetric data grid for the south-east marine region. - Seabed characterisation including geomorphology, acoustic facies and seabed sampling (GA) - Computer sediment modelling (GEOMAT) - Refine Broad Scale Bioregionalisation (Provinces and Biomes) (CSIRO) - Upgrade deepwater nutrient, water properties and ocean current models (CSIRO) - Rapid assembly of ecological fish data (CSIRO Marine Research in collaboration with Australian Museum, Victoria Museum and NSW Fisheries) - Rapid assembly of ecological invertebrate data (Museum Victoria in partnership with Australia Museum and CSIRO Marine Research) - Bioregionalisation analysis for the South-east Marine Region (CSIRO Marine Research and Australian Geological Survey Organisation [GA]) This dataset contains the spatial distribution of the physical and biological components of the Region resulting from bioregionalisation analysis for the South-east Marine Region. Further detail will be available in the report entitled "An Interim, Draft bioregionalisation for the continental slope and deeper waters of the South-East Marine Region of Australia" by A. Butler, P. Harris et al. (draft only available at time of this metadata compilation).

Key Biodiversity Areas dataset shows Victorian places of global significance for the conservation of birds and other wildlife which must meet strict, international scientific criteria. This dataset has been updated as of March 2022 to ensure all boundaries are clean of overlaps and slivers and all Key Biodiversity Areas are displayed as single features rather than multi-part polygons. There are 334 KBAs in this dataset. Visit https://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/KBA for more info.

In order to protect the biological diversity of marine life in Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the commonwealth government has passed the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. The Act is being implemented through preparation of regional marine plans (commenced in 2001) and by designing networks of representative marine protected areas (MPAs) in both commonwealth and state waters. In the absence of direct information about the distribution of seabed biodiversity, appropriate surrogates must be used instead. A major constraint is the short time-frame available to managers to make decisions; only information that is readily accessible and available can be used under these circumstances. Existing seabed bathymetry data were used to produce a geomorphic features map of the Australian EEZ. This map was used in conjunction with existing fish diversity information and other data to derive a Benthic Bioregionalisation (2005) that subdivides Australia's EEZ into 41 bioregions including 24 biologically unique provinces. Biophysical variables measured at broad spatial scales apart from bathymetry (and derived variables such as seabed slope) include ocean primary production, seabed sediment properties, temperature and sediment mobilisation due to waves and tides. To better characterise habitats on the Australian continental margin, Geoscience Australia has created 'seascape' maps that integrate multiple layers of spatial data that are useful for the prediction of the distribution of biodiversity. Existing seabed bathymetry data were used to produce a geomorphic features map of the Australian EEZ. This map was used in conjunction with existing fish diversity information and other data to derive a Benthic Bioregionalisation (2005) that subdivides Australia's EEZ into 41 bioregions including 24 biologically unique provinces.