Recent datasets
This data set contains life history data from 46 species of coral reef fish from four families (see list below). The data and samples on which these analyses are based were collected as part of the Effects of Line Fishing Project and the East Torres Strait Coral Reef Fishery Project. Species included in this data set include:
Labridae: Cheilinus undulatus, Choerodon cyanodus, C. fasciatus, C. schoenleinii, C. venustus
Lethrinidae: Lethrinus atkinsoni, L. lentjan, L. nebulosus, L. olivaceus
Pattern of seagrass distribution in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
The purpose of this study was to characterise spatial and temporal patterns in sea surface temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef.
This study characterises spatial patterns in water clarity. Water clarity is a key indicator for water quality and is an essential environmental factor for phototrophic organisms that dominate coral reefs, seagrass meadows and the seafloor microphytobenthos. Secchi disk depthis a commonly used standardised way to quantify water clarity.
Trajectories of decline have been observed in coral reefs throughout the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific region attributable to the synergistic effects of human-induced disturbances. Whilst direct and indirect evidence suggests that inshore reefs from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are showing signs of regional decline following European settlement in the mid 18th century, it has proven difficult to ascertain the link between anthropogenic disturbance and coral degradation on a regional scale.
The aims of this work (MTSRF Project 1.1.3b) were to identify the role of light and water temperature as drivers of change in seagrass meadows of the northern Great Barrier Reef. Experimental approaches as well as field investigations were undertaken.
The purpose of this study is to quantify spatial and temporal changes in the density of crown-of-thorns starfish and benthic cover in the Great Barrier Reef. Broad-scale manta tow surveys have been conducted by the Long-Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) of the Australian Institiute of Marine Science since 1986, counting crown-of-thorns-starfish (COTS, Acanthaster planci).
This dataset consists of 31 monitoring sites in the Tully-Ingham area. Sites have various levels of rainforest invasion. Each site has a vegetation strata species list and counts of each species in each strata. Trees with stems > 10cm Diameter Breast Height (DBH) are identified and their DBH and height are measured. Date of survey May-July 2014.
This dataset shows the concentrations of multiple herbicides remaining over time in a simulation flask persistence experiment conducted in 2013.
The aim of this study was to quantify the persistence multiple herbicides in a standard flask experiment. Time it takes for degradation of half of this herbicide is termed the "half-life". The half-life can be used to help develop environmental risk assessments.
Methods:
This dataset shows the geology of the Torres Strait region. The polygons in this dataset are a digital representation of the distribution or extent of geological units within the area. Polygons have a range of attributes including unit name, age, lithological description and an abbreviated symbol for use in labelling the polygons. These have been extracted from the Rock Units Table held in the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Merlin Database.
This dataset shows the broad geology of the Wet Tropics of Queensland and surrounding areas from Ayr up to north of Cooktown. It is a combination of the "Geology of the Wet Tropics Bioregion (WTMA)" dataset (WtmaGeology) from the Vegetation mapping of the Wet Tropics and the state wide Regional Ecosystem mapping by the Queensland Government.
Benthic organisms were surveyed annually on fixed sites in one habitat on each of 47 selected core survey reefs from 1993 to 2005 in 6 regions throughout the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Surveys were undertaken at 3 sites per reef, with 5x50m transects surveyed per site.In 2004 a new zoning plan was implemented in the Great Barrier reef Marine Park and in 2006 the pattern of surveys was changed. The original set of reefs (47) are surveyed in odd years (e.g. 2007) and a different set (56 reefs) are surveyed in even years.
64 'key' reefs in 11 sectors of the Great Barrier Reef (Cape Grenville, Princess Charlotte Bay, Cooktown/Lizard Island, Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville, Cape Upstart, Whitsunday, Pompey Complex, Swain and Capricorn Bunker) are annually surveyed for crown-of-thorns starfish using the manta tow technique. An additional 117 reefs from the sectors (excluding the Whitsunday, Swain and Capricorn-Bunker sectors) are scheduled for survey every third year ('cycle' reefs).
Data on the general appearance and condition of coral reefs which have been manta towed in the Long Term Monitoring Project (LTMP). The data from 4 reef zones - front (seaward) and back (leeward), and north and south (flanks 1 and 2) - are used to create a web page on each zone for each reef (http://apps.aims.gov.au/reef-monitoring/).
In 6 sectors of the Great Barrier Reef (Cooktown/Lizard island, Cairns, Townsville, Whitsunday, Swain and Capricorn Bunker) 49 of the key manta tow reefs are designated 'core' survey reefs and are also surveyed using the scuba search technique. Where possible, three or more reefs in each sector have been selected in each of three positions across the continental shelf: inshore, mid-shelf and outer shelf.
This data set contains information on Oil and Gas pipeline infrastructure. This dataset has been converted from Microstation format used in a map "Petroleum Exploration and Development Titles" published annually in APRIL. Attributes have been added to comply with data standards and minor coding of line work has been achieved using annotation from the map. Further data has been added, specifically for the specific Acreage Release Areas.
The AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program (LTMP) is designed to detect changes in reef communities at a subregional scale. In this context, a subregion encompasses inshore, mid-shelf and outer shelf reefs across the continental shelf within one band of latitude (a sector).Reef surveys involve three approaches:1. broadscale manta tow surveys of crown-of-thorns starfish populations and reef-wide coral cover2. Intensive photographic surveys of stationary seafloor (benthic) organisms on fixed transects3.
Water Quality Data from the AIMS Long Term Monitoring Program. Water and sediments (another dataset) were sampled at the same sites adjacent to all 52 reefs where fish and benthic transects are conducted. Sampling occurs in open water within 500 metres of the reef, on both sides (north and south flanks) of the reef. Sampled reefs occur throughout the Great Barrier Reef, and the reefs of the North West coast of Australia.
To track change.
As a sub-project of the now discontinued water quality component of the AIMS Long-term Monitoring Project, sediments were examined along cross-shelf transects commencing at the mouths of the Johnstone and Barron Rivers, which drain heavily cultivated areas. Results were compared with sediments from a transect commencing near the Pascoe River, which drains an uncultivated area of Cape York. Observations were made between November 1992 and April 1996. Sampling was conducted in alternate dry and wet seasons 1992-1993 but only in wet (summer) season 1994 and 1995.
This dataset contains polygons depicting vegetation communities of the Wet Tropics Bioregion. Over 250 vegetation types are described using structural and floristic characteristics, and the vegetation communities have been classified using a logical, hierarchical framework.
At a broad level, the vegetation includes the rainforests, forests and woodlands, sclerophyll rainforests, shrublands and heathlands, herblands and mangrove communities distributed throughout the bioregion.