Cooper GBA region landscape classes

Abstract

The dataset was compiled by the Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program from multiple sources identified in the Lineage field in this metadata statement. A landscape classification approach was used to determine how hydrological changes due to shale, tight and deep coal gas development may affect ecosystems at a landscape scale in the Cooper GBA region. Seven landscape classes have been identified for the Cooper GBA region.

Attribution

Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program

History

Inputs into the landscape classification were based on existing classification schemes wherever possible and can be purely physical, biological or predictive. The landscape classification developed for the Cooper GBA region is a harmonisation of the Queensland Land Zones (Wilson and Taylor, 2012) and South Australian Land Systems (Santos, 1997), reflecting the substantial areas of the Cooper Basin in both states. Consistent with the principles outlined above, it sought to use existing data sources and classifications, and to leverage the extensive effort already expended to develop highly relevant conceptual models at both landscape scale and wetland scale by the Queensland Government as part of its Wetlands Program (Department of Environment and Science (Qld), 2017). Detailed land zones (Qld) within the Cooper GBA region were supplied by the Queensland Government (Department of Environment and Science (Qld), 2018a) and assigned to corresponding landscape classes. Land systems in South Australia (Santos, 1997) were coarsely mapped in the 1990s; hence, landscape classes for the Cooper Basin within SA were refined from land systems based on land system mapping, detailed (1:100 000) surface geology (Department for Energy and Mining (SA), 2018), elevation (Geoscience Australia, 2008) and landscape position inferred from 30 m Landsat images.