Baseline Surveys

Surveys designed and conducted by Marscco include rapid assessments of freshwater, estuarine and inshore/offshore marine habitats, including deep-slope seabed habitats. Surveys use standard techniques such as underwater visual census (UVC) of fishes; line intercept method for habitat delineation; underwater video footage and mosaic photography to identify flora/fauna and substrate type and coverage; and sediment biological/chemical characterisation (vessel-deployed sediment corers, e.g., K-C box corer) and sediment deposition rates (seabed-fixed sediment traps, e.g., McLane Labs Mark 8).

Biodiversity surveys also include the use of baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) to examine species composition of habitats inaccessible to research divers, and the capture, identification and biological examination of coastal and deep-sea (slope) fishes using standard active and passive fishing methods. Other services:

• Bathymetric profiling
• Intertidal and subtidal habitat mapping and assessment
• Meio and macrobenthos diversity assessment
• Identification of fish spawning areas
• Coral reef biodiversity and distribution
• Metals in fauna - baseline and monitoring studies
• In-depth desktop literature reviews