Bioacoustics Sub-Facility - Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System
Original (non-English) name
Acronym
Bioacoustics Sub-Facility - IMOS
Citation
Users of IMOS data are required to clearly acknowledge the source material by including the following statement:
Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent.
Abstract
Small fish, zooplankton and squid are important components of all marine ecosystems, however quantifying their abundance, distribution and behaviour over large spatial scales is difficult using traditional net sampling methods. The Bioacoustics sub-Facility uses vessels equipped with echosounders, at single and multiple frequencies to estimate the abundance and distribution of these mid-tropic level organisms. This data is important for providing observed distribution and abundance information for ecosystem models in addition to providing a point of validation to predictions made by these models. The continued observing of Bioacoustics data from large research and fishing vessels provides this information, a powerful resource for understanding the marine ecosystem at both local and oceanic basin scales.