Abstract
The waters of the east coast of the South Africa are shaped by the interplay of the strong southward flowing Agulhas and Madagascar currents, which generate marked temperature differentials and strong gyres and upwelling cells, the influence of which are modified by a strong inshore river inflow influence from 64 estuaries and a seafloor incised by deep canyons. Much research has been done on near-shore systems, whereas the offshore biodiversity is largely unexplored. This is reflected in the level of protection: existing marine protected areas of special interest (ie. Coral Reefs) while offshore biodiversity is afforded zero formal protection. In this study geophysical mapping, coupled with remote-sensing biophysical data, is used to classify the offshore environment according to benthic-pelagic "profiles", and this to map areas of similarity. Data at a scale of 1x1km from satellite imagery of sea surface temperature, chlorophyll and turbidity are combined with a comprehensive bathymetery layer, sediment data and reef density data in a multivariate analysis. These have generated offshore environmental domains, an ecosystem classification system, being applied and tested for systematic conservation planning.