The Kimberley region is vast, remote and difficult and expensive to access and carry out field work in. Remote sensing technologies can provide cost effective methods to gather historical and baseline data at synoptic scales as well as near-real-time observations from metre to kilometre resolution. The Kimberley Node Project 1.4 focused on monitoring turbidity with reference to its impact on the water column and substrate light environment. The projects objectives were to analyse uncertainties of remotely sensed turbidity products by comparison of different algorithms and different resolution products with each other and with archived in situ data; and to analyse time series of remotely sensed turbidity data to provide first-stage pilot products that may be applicable for future use as marine management tools. In-situ water quality data was obtained from a number of cruises that occurred along the Kimberley coastline including Collier Bay; Walcott Inlet, Outer King Sound, Koolama Bay and Lesueur Islands, Van Diemen Gulf and the Pilbara Coast and used to validate remote sensing products. Data associated with this metadata record relates to in-situ water quality. MODIS satellite data obtained from IMOS has not been stored as part of this record, but can be accessed direct via IMOS (http://www.imos.org.au/).

Herbivory is a key ecological process that sustains food webs, and can regulate the biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem. It has long been hypothesized that rates of herbivory are greatest in the tropics, although strong evidence to support this is limited. The aim of this project was to identify the key species of herbivores, to identify the grazing rates of key herbivores, and in conjunction with project WAMSI 2 KMRP Project 2.2.4 (benthic primary productivity) provide estimates of the proportion of production that is consumed by herbivores. The research on herbivory was focused on the islands and coast of the Bardi Jawi Indigenous Protected Area in the Kimberley (Western Australia), encompassing Jalan (Tallon Island) and Iwany (Sunday Island). Focus of the herbivory study was on one type of habitat (seagrass meadows), and the diet of two species of herbivores (golden-lined rabbitfish and green turtle). Four surveys were conducted between October 2014 and April 2016. At these locations the following measurements or collections were made (not all measurements were made during each survey): (1) Rates of herbivory (three surveys). These data are presented in the report for WAMSI KMRP 2.2.4, here the focus is on assessing rates of herbivory as a proportion of primary production; (2) Collections of golden-lined rabbitfish (Siganus lineatus); and (3) Blood samples from green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Ten green turtles were tagged with satellite tags: 4 in April 2015, and 6 in April 2016. This data record only pertains to data held by CSIRO. For access to all other data generated by collaborative research partners of the KMRP 1.1.2 project refer to the additional metadata field.

WAMSI Kimberley Research ProjectsThe Western Australian Government has declared an intention to establish a number of MPAs in the Kimberley region to preserve and manage its unique biodiversity and conservation values. The WAMSI science plan for physical and biological oceanography in the Kimberley is focused on the southern designated MPA area (Camden Sound) to support physical and biogeochemical process model development. This metadata record describes observational data collected in support of the observational requirements for WAMSI KMRP Projects:2.2.1 - Physical oceanographic dynamics in the Kimberley2.2.2 -Pathways to Production : Biogeochemical Processes in the Kimberley Region2.2.6 - Terrestrial-Ocean Linkages: the role of rivers and estuaries in sustaining marine productivity in the Kimberley.Primary data sources are:Moored ADCPs Moored Temperature salinity loggersUnderway ThermosalinographCTD casts The purpose of the data are to assist in quantifying key physical and biological oceanographic processes in nearshore waters of the coastal Kimberley under wet and dry season conditions to: 1. better define seasonal ranges in properties and rates in Collier Bay as a basis for identifying potential climate-related changes, 2. better define marine productivity and seasonal forcing processes3. acquire oceanographic and biogeochemical information necessary to develop system models. Detailed descriptions of science plans for each of the above listed projects is available from the project specific WAMSI II Science Project Plans.

The goal of this project is to quantify the reliability of remotely sensed turbidity products for use in the Kimberley region. There are two specific objectives. 1: Analyze uncertainties of remotely sensed turbidity products by comparison of different algorithms and different resolution products with each other and with archived in situ data 2: Analyze time series of remotely sensed turbidity data to provide first-stage pilot products that may be applicable for future use as marine management tools. The deliverables are: Analysis of ensemble variability between different algorithms; Assessment of sub-km scale variability from comparison with high-resolution products; Quantification of uncertainty from comparison with archived in situ data; Maps of turbidity "hotspot" regions (i.e. regions of frequently occurring high turbidity events and regions of extreme variability).; Alternative: Maps of different turbidity regimes (e.g. permanently high turbidity, frequent turbid events, infrequent turbid events, persistently clear water).; Turbidity indicator products (e.g. days above a set turbidity threshold)

KSN Project 2.2.2 provides key information on the oceanographic and biological forcing associated with nutrient supply that determines the near-shore productivity of the Kimberley region, and links these with higher trophic levels. Key objectives of the research were - To make new estimates of pelagic primary productivity, identifying the key physical and community processes driving production in the region. - To better describe the phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in coastal waters of the Kimberley, to determine the trophic linkages within these communities and to identify the key factors controlling pelagic secondary productivity. - To integrate these parameters into an extensible biogeochemical modelling framework, allowing predictive linkages between physical and biological processes in the region. This metadata records specifically relates to modelling aspects of the project completed by CSIRO. The data originates from a number of model simulations conducted between 3/1/2010 to 21/12/2010. All field data are held at Pawsey and RV Southern Surveyor and RV Solander.

The overarching objective is to infer the routine distances of dispersal and patterns of connectivity among key populations within the Kimberley. Nine sub-projects will address this objective. The data provided by these methods are complimentary, and each improves the others. The projects and objectives can be summarised as: - Existing samples and desktop study - Genetic analyses - Coral stock-recruitment and larval durations - Fish otolith microchemistry Genotypes data have been generated from seven marine organisms: 1. Tectus niloticus - gastropod (CSIRO) 2. Pomacentrus milleri - fish (CSIRO) 3. Lutjanus carponotatus - fish (CSIRO) 4. Halophila ovalis - seagrass (ECU) 5. Thalassia hemprichii - seagrass (ECU) 6. Isopora brueggmanni - coral (AIMS) 7. Acropora aspera - coral (AIMS) There is a CSIRO metadata record that describes data for Tectus niloticus; Pomacentrus milleri and Lutjanus carponotatus (http://www.marlin.csiro.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/search#!0d389dab-d6e2-4895-ba09-389e689b565e)

WAMSI Kimberley Research Projects The Western Australian Government has declared an intention to establish a number of MPAs in the Kimberley region to preserve and manage its unique biodiversity and conservation values. The WAMSI science plan for physical and biological oceanography in the Kimberley is focused on the southern designated MPA area (Camden Sound) to support physical and biogeochemical process model development. This metadata record describes observational data collected in support of the observational requirements for WAMSI KMRP Projects: 2.2.1 - Physical oceanographic dynamics in the Kimberley 2.2.2 -Pathways to Production : Biogeochemical Processes in the Kimberley Region 2.2.6 - Terrestrial-Ocean Linkages: the role of rivers and estuaries in sustaining marine productivity in the Kimberley. Primary data sources are: Moored ADCPs Moored Temperature salinity loggers Underway Thermosalinograph CTD casts The purpose of the data are to assist in quantifying key physical and biological oceanographic processes in nearshore waters of the coastal Kimberley under wet and dry season conditions to: 1. better define seasonal ranges in properties and rates in Collier Bay as a basis for identifying potential climate-related changes, 2. better define marine productivity and seasonal forcing processes 3. acquire oceanographic and biogeochemical information necessary to develop system models. Detailed descriptions of science plans for each of the above listed projects is available from the project specific WAMSI II Science Project Plans.

The Kimberley region is vast, remote and difficult and expensive to access and carry out field work in. Remote sensing technologies can provide cost effective methods to gather historical and baseline data at synoptic scales as well as near-real-time observations from metre to kilometre resolution. The Kimberley Node Project 1.4 focused on monitoring turbidity with reference to its impact on the water column and substrate light environment. The projects objectives were to analyse uncertainties of remotely sensed turbidity products by comparison of different algorithms and different resolution products with each other and with archived in situ data; and to analyse time series of remotely sensed turbidity data to provide first-stage pilot products that may be applicable for future use as marine management tools. In-situ water quality data was obtained from a number of cruises that occurred along the Kimberley coastline including Collier Bay; Walcott Inlet, Outer King Sound, Koolama Bay and Lesueur Islands, Van Diemen Gulf and the Pilbara Coast and used to validate remote sensing products. Data associated with this metadata record relates to in-situ water quality. MODIS satellite data obtained from IMOS has not been stored as part of this record, but can be accessed direct via IMOS (http://www.imos.org.au/).

The remote Kimberley coast of north-western Australia is one of the few marine environments domains on earth largely unaffected by human use. However, the region is undergoing increasing economic importance as a destination for tourism and significant coastal developments associated with oil and gas exploration. The objective of the project was to reconstruct a timeline of inferred water quality changes from the sediment record for a selected set of sites in the Kimberley, Western Australia. The project made use of palaeoecological approaches to reconstruct a chronology of change over the last approximately 100 years using a series of biogeochemical proxies for phytoplankton composition and biomass, temperature and terrestrial influences. Where possible these were matched to historical land/water use, meteorological or hydrological observational records. The project examined sediment cores from three coastal locations, Koolama Bay (King George River), Cygnet Bay and Roebuck Bay. Each sampling location provided a contrast with which to evaluate changes over either a spatial or temporal gradient of human or natural influence. Sediment cores (up to 1.5 m) were obtained from each of these locations in the expectation that they would provide a time series for about the last 100 years. A set of parameters was measured along the core length (every 1-2 cm) for some or all cores depending on the particular focus for the location: 210Pb and 137Cs; 15N isotope; 13C isotope; Carbon/Nitrogen ratio; Sedimentation rate and grain size; Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Total Nitrogen (TN); Biosilicate; Biomarkers; TEX86; long chain n-alkanes (C27+C29+C31); Elemental carbon (or black carbon). Rainfall data was obtained from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology website (www.bom.gov.au). Stream flow data was obtained from the Western Australian Department of Water website (www.water.wa.gov.au). Historical bushfire data was obtained from the Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife. The metadata record only relates to data generated as part of the sediment analysis.

Terrestrial landscapes and coastal marine environments are linked by the rivers that flow between them. This is particularly true in the Kimberley, where each year large amounts of freshwater enter coastal waters. This project aimed to understand how dissolved and particulate material from freshwater systems in the Kimberley are transported by the tides and currents into the coastal marine environment and whether these exports from land play a role in coastal productivity. The project linked closely with WAMSI 2 KMRP projects 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 to better understand how freshwater discharge influences marine food web structure and sustains the productivity of Kimberley inshore ecosystems. Oceanographic and biogeochemical data was collected over two field campaigns (October/November 2013 and April/May 2014) from the Walcott Inlet, Collier Bay area (16° 22.624’S 124° 26.235’E to 16° 24.487’S 124° 54.035’E) and models integrated with those for Collier Bay (KMRP Project 2.2.2). The hydrology component focussed on catchments flowing into Walcott Inlet and Collier Bay, but climate projections and stream flow data analysed for whole of Kimberley. Chemical data to apportion sources of organic matter was also collected. This data was used to support development of the biogeochemical model. No primary data was collected in the hydrology component, but major data sets were collated, including data from 88 streamflow gauging stations managed by the Department of Water. A coupled physical-biogeochemical model and a catchment carbon export model was developed to understand the link between exported material and coastal productivity and has been an important component of the research project as it has allowed estimates of freshwater flow under current and future climate scenarios and an estimate of export of nutrients (carbon and nitrogen) and the forms in which they exist. Historical data used from 1961 to 2012 was used for calibration of the model, and future simulations were run for the period 2013 – 2064. This metadata record only relates to data either collected or generated by CSIRO. For data held by other project partners, please refer to the ‘supplementary information’ section.