Recent datasets

The project will use novel analytical techniques/instrumentation to accurately quantify, for the first time, key proximal stressors associated with dredging/spoil disposal (i.e. sedimentation, light quantity/quality, suspended sediment concentrations) and will determine how these parameters vary with increasing distance from dredging. We will then test the response of corals, sponges, seagrass and algae to environmentally relevant/realistic conditions over appropriate time-frames.

This dataset summarises benthic surveys of seagrass for Dugong and Turtle habitats in the North-West Torres Strait for November 2015 and January 2016. The Site data describes seagrass at 853 sites; while the Meadow data describes seagrass at 34 individual meadows. The data includes information on seagrass species, biomass, diversity, and BMI and algae percent cover. The dataset is available as shapefiles, GIS layer packages, and/or a CSV file.

This dataset consists of summaries of benthic, fish and manta tow surveys conducted in the Capricorn-Bunker Region of the Great Barrier Reef in October 2015. It consists of three tables: 1. A table summarising percent cover of benthic organisms grouped into broad categories from photo transects collected during the monitoring surveys. 2. A table of average abundance for each reef fish species on the 5 transects in each of the three sites on each reef is presented for the eight reefs surveyed. 3.

This dataset shows the measured response of early life history stages to different levels of nutrient enrichment and temperatures in experiments conducted in 2014-2015. The data is presented as one Excel spreadsheet file. Each tab contains data from experiments (Exp. 1a,b; Exp 1c,d; Exp. 2; Exp 3) on different life stages exposed to the same conditions. Measured logged water quality (Nutrients) and temperature (Temperature) data taken during the experiment are also presented in different tabs.

This dataset summarises 30 years of seagrass data collection (1984-2014) within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The Site data describes seagrass at 66,210 sites; while the Meadow data describes seagrass at 1,169 individual or composite meadows. The data includes information on species, meadow type and age and reliability of the data. The dataset is available as shapefiles, GIS layer packages, and/or a CSV file. Data represented in this dataset has been collected by the TropWATER Seagrass Group and CSIRO in a GIS database.

This dataset consists of site and zone means of the percent cover of major benthic categories and the density of fish functional groups on fringing coral reefs of the Keppel Island group, as a result of monitoring surveys carried out in 2015. This data extract summarises the results of the October 2015 survey of reef communities in the Keppel Island group. The data is a component of a long-term monitoring project that assesses the effects of no-take marine reserve zoning on inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

This dataset consists of one data file (spreadsheet) from a 1 year large tank herbicide degradation experiment in seawater, containing 4 different light and sediment treatments. Each tab contains concentration data at each time point for a single herbicide under each of the four light and sediment conditions.The aim of this study was to conduct a year-long degradation experiment using concentrations of commonly detected herbicides in a series of replicate open tanks.

This polygon layer is a 'lite' version of the Digital Cadastral Database (DCDB) showing minimal attribute data about the property boundaries e.g.: base lot polygons, Lot and Plan attributes and an accuracy statement covering the whole of Queensland. See additional information also. This data is updated nightly on the QSpatial portal, but only infrequently on the eAtlas. The versions setup on the eAtlas are retained for historic purposes.

Presence information for sharks and fish fitted with acoustic transmitters on reefs in the Townsville region. Acoustic receivers are deployed on: Bramble (4), Rib (4), Kelso (2), John Brewer (4), Lodestone (4), Helix (4), Keeper (2), Glow (3), Cotton Shoal (1), Arc (1), Grub (4), Yankee (3), Centipede (2), Wheeler (5), Davies (2), Pinnacle (1) and Little Broadhurst (2) reefs. Transmitter life ranges from 12-30 months. Transmitters report depth data to indicate position of the animal in the water column.

In NW Australia a range of emergent reefs bound the western margin of the Oceanic Shoals bioregion, but with the major feature being numerous submerged shoals lying along and across the shelf edge. Scott Reef, the largest emergent reef system, has a diverse shallow water coral reef ecosystem that has demonstrated impressive resilience to cyclone and coral bleaching disturbances over the last 15 years (Gilmour et al, 2013). The adjacent deeper lagoon of South Scott Reef covers approximately 300 km2 in depths of 30-?70m.

This project will develop the partnerships and the institutional framework for implementing large scale innovative rehabilitation works which aim to directly reduce sediment supply from the large alluvial gullies on the lower Bowen River. These gullies are the largest single source of suspended sediment loads into the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The project will work directly with Glencore and Q Coal, who are some of the largest grazing landholders along the section of the Bowen River with the highest concentration of large alluvial gullies.

This dataset consists of a shapefile of the reefs, islands, sand banks, cays and rocks of the whole Great Barrier Reef (GBR) including Torres Strait. This dataset is an extension of the mapping in the GBR Marine Park to include Torres Strait. The Torres Strait region was mapped at a scale of 1:50,000 (Lawrey, E. P., Stewart M., 2016) and these new features are referred to as the "Torres Strait Reef and Island Features" dataset.

This study addresses concerns regarding the impacts of mine-derived pollution on the marine resources of the Torres Strait. Using state of the art procedures, trace metal concentrations in marine waters and sediments will be determined at locations across the Torres Strait. Chemical signatures of mine pollution will be measured in waters and sediments and hotspots of contamination identified. The water quality data generated will allow informed management decisions to be made on how to best address trans-boundary mining related pollution.

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This dataset shows the tiling grid and their IDs for Sentinel 2 satellite imagery. The tiling grid IDs are useful for selecting imagery of an area of interest. Sentinel 2 is an Earth observation satellite developed and operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). Its imagery has 13 bands in the visible, near infrared and short wave infrared part of the spectrum. It has a spatial resolution of 10 m, 20 m and 60 m depending on the spectral band. Sentinel-2 has a 290 km field of view when capturing its imagery.

This project will take a novel approach to improving monitoring of environmental and aesthetic conditions in real time by capitalising on information provided through micro-blogs from visitors to the Great Barrier Reef. The data mining will integrate human sensing data (e.g. twitter) with existing monitoring data (including the ‘eye on the reef’), meteorological data, tourism statistics, and others dispersed data sources and a cost-effective monitoring tool will be made available to stakeholders.

This project will evaluate the cost, effectiveness and biophysical processes of gully remediation options in the Burdekin Region. Sub-surface soil erosion is the major source of anthropogenic sediment delivered to the Great Barrier Reef and must be addressed to help meet Reef water quality targets. The Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control Programme is the first to focus on gully remediation.

Recent global experiences suggest that spatially identifying and prioritizing landscape ‘hotspots’ of pollutant generation for management intervention, and small catchment-scale water quality monitoring in collaboration with landholders linking water quality with specific management practices, are among the most promising strategies for reducing water quality pollution.

This project will explore alternative land use options to reduce nitrogen losses from marginal sugarcane land in priority wet tropics catchments. The Wet Tropics Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) identified that complete adoption of sugarcane best management practices would be insufficient to achieve the nitrogen load reductions needed to meet the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Water Quality Guidelines.

Understanding cumulative impacts from multiple stressors will be critical for successful management of the GBR under the Reef2050 Plan. The project will produce experimental analyses of concentration-response relationships for selected species under broad, controlled envelopes of sediments, turbidity, nutrients, light, salinity and temperature. Based on new understanding of threshold exposure values, existing and new field data we will produce exposure maps for individual stressors and explore techniques to summarize those into cumulative exposure maps.

The project will develop a water quality indicator based on benthic irradiance (the amount of light penetrating to the seafloor). Using experiments and field data we will develop irradiance thresholds for measures of ecosystem health, and develop prototype guideline values. The project will develop a new remote sensing algorithm of benthic irradiance, validated against open-water irradiance data. The project will quantify benthic irradiance throughout the GBR, near-daily over 14 years, and assess region-specific drivers of trends including river discharges.