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Landscape mapping informing Antarctic Specially Protected Area management

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Created 13/01/2025

Updated 13/01/2025

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Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No. 143 Marine Plain in East Antarctica is valued for its “outstanding fossil fauna and rare geological features” (ATCM XXXVI 2013) but scientific evidence to guide its protection is sparse. The fragile Sørsdal Formation contains diverse marine vertebrate and invertebrate fauna, preserving a unique record of Antarctic environmental conditions in the Pliocene (Quilty et al. 2000). Strict permitting and access conditions are in place for the ASPA but evidence-based guidance for decision makers on how to assess the risks to the values of the ASPA is minimal.

We will present the results of geological mapping, aerial imagery collection, and field observations from Marine Plain to consider the impact of foot traffic and helicopter access to the ASPA and provide options for future monitoring and management. Surficial geology of the broader Vestfold Hills (a 400 km2 ice-free region in East Antarctica) was mapped at 1:2000 scale using aerial photos, satellite imagery, a digital elevation model, and field observations (McLennan et al. 2021, McLennan et al. 2022). From this regional-scale mapping, we show that the glacial sediments draping bedrock hills in Marine Plain are typical of the Vestfold Hills region and do not represent the vulnerable Sørsdal Formation or the thermokarst features considered unique to the ASPA. Polygons outlining recommended landing areas for helicopters in the Marine Plain ASPA were derived using a buffer around the Sørsdal Formation, lakes, away from the edge of steep bedrock slopes, and higher that the limit of Pliocene marine inundation. Our results show how foundational datasets like landform and geomorphology mapping can provide robust evidence to support informed ASPA management.

ATCM XXXIV, 2013. Measure 9. Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 143 (Marine Plain, Mule Peninsula, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land): Revised Management Plan McLennan S. M., Haiblen A. M. & Smith J. 2021 Surficial geology of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. First ed. Canberra, Australia: Geoscience Australia. https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/145535 McLennan S. M., Haiblen, A.M. & Smith, J. 2022 Surficial geology of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, GIS dataset. Canberra, Australia: Geoscience Australia. https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/145536 Quilty P. G., Lirio J. M. & Jillett D. 2000 Stratigraphy of the Pliocene Sørsdal Formation, Marine Plain, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, Antarctic Science, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 205-216.

Presented at the SCAR Open Science Conference 2024

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Title Landscape mapping informing Antarctic Specially Protected Area management
Language eng
Licence notspecified
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/f342e7db-8366-4af0-acf6-a469b81e240e
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 22/10/2024
Geospatial Coverage {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -90.0], [180.0, -90.0], [180.0, -60.516], [-180.0, -60.516], [-180.0, -90.0]]]}
Data Portal data.gov.au

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This dataset was originally found on data.gov.au "Landscape mapping informing Antarctic Specially Protected Area management". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/landscape-mapping-informing-antarctic-specially-protected-area-management

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