Recent datasets
Surveys were undertaken in February/March and August/September 2007 (Autumn and Spring) and October 2009 (Spring) on two pairs of discrete deepwater shoals in the mid-shelf section of the southern Great Barrier Reef - East and West Warregos; Karamea and Barcoo Banks. Within each pair, one shoal was from a 'Green' (closed to all fishing) and the other from a 'Blue' (open to fishing) zone, based on the rezoning carried out in 2004.
A baseline survey of 5 green zoned sites on Magnetic Shoals together with 4 adjacent blue zoned areas of the marine park. Surveys were carried out in July, September, October and November 2006 to assess any seasonal effects on the fish and benthic communities in addition to potential zoning effects. The Shoals are characterised by a mosaic of rich epibenthic filter feeding communities typically surrounded by low relief algae and seagrasses. These communities appear to be founded on loose sediments comprised of sand, rubble and foraminifera.
During the central and eastern Torres Strait survey in November 2006, tissue samples of 10 individuals of the sponge Coscinoderma matthewsi were collected from 5 island groups: Ugar (Stephen Island) and Erub (Darnley Island) in eastern Torres Strait; and the Masig group (Kodall Island and Keats Island), Poruma (Coconut Island) and Warraber (Sue Island) in central Torres Strait. These island groups are on average, 66 km apart. All sponge samples were placed in separate cryo-tubes and preserved in liquid nitrogen until they could be stored at -80°C.
Size frequency surveys of the sponges Coscinoderma matthewsi, Hyrtios erecta and Ianthella basta (yellow color morph) were conducted at Masig Island, central Torres Strait, in March 2007. At each of eight sites, separated by at least 200 m, three randomly positioned 30 x 1 m transects were surveyed, with each transect separated by at least 20 m. All transects were located on sloping reef at between 10 and 12 m depth.The greatest dimension of each sponge was measured for Coscinoderma matthewsi and Ianthella basta, and used as an approximation of overall sponge size.
Surveys were undertaken in February/March 2007 (Autumn), August/September 2007 (Spring) and October 2009 (Spring) on two pairs of discrete deepwater shoals in the mid-shelf section of the southern Great Barrier Reef. The objective was to find pairs of shoals that were matched in terms of depth, habitat, areal extent, cross shelf position and latitude. Within each pair, one shoal was to be from a 'green zone' (closed to all fishing) and the other from a 'blue zone' (open to fishing), based on the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, carried out in 2004.
This project conducted a biodiversity assessment of coral communities on Torres Strait reefs to establish a baseline of coral condition and start a longer-term monitoring program of selected coral reefs in the region. The monitoring looked for changes in the condition of coral reefs and documented factors that might contribute to changes including COTS, disease, bleaching, temperature anomalies etc. As part of this project, an early warning system was established for coral bleaching.
The coral, Acropora millepora and the crustose coralline algae, Neogoniolithon fosliei were exposed to 3 photosystem II (PSII) herbicides (diuron, hexazinone and atrazine). Corals were collected at depths between 1 and 3m from Double Cone Island and Hayman Island in the Whitsunday group. The crustose coralline algae was collected from Davies Reef at depths between 5 and 7m.
Using a quantitative genetics approach, the proportion of the variance in thermal tolerance traits that has a genetic basis (i.e. heritability) was estimated as a proxy for their adaptive potential in the widespread Indo-Pacific reef-building coral Acropora millepora. Two physiologically different populations that associate respectively with one thermotolerant (Symbiodinium clade D) and one less tolerant symbiont type (Symbiodinium C2) were chosen.
Samples of S. flexibilis were collected from a total of 11 sites from inshore and offshore reefs within the Torres Strait, Cairns, Townsville and Whitsunday regions of the Great Barrier Reef between December 1998 and February 2000.
As part of MTSRF Task 2.5i.2, a range of indices were investigated to quantify upwelling on the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. These indices are necessary for exploring environmental and biological relationships in areas where upwelling may be sporadic and less intense, especially along western boundary currents such as the East Australian Current.
Next generation DNA sequencing was used to scan a large proportion of the transcribed coding DNA in Acropora millepora for polymorphisms. Transcribed coding DNA (messenger RNA - mRNA) was extracted from 8 colonies sampled at three thermally distinct habitats along the GBR (Wilke Island Reef in Princess Charlotte Bay, Nelly Bay at Magnetic Island, and Miall Island in the Keppel Islands). The mRNA extractions from each population were pooled and translated back to the complementary DNA (cDNA), which was sequenced using 454 pyrosequencing by the Australian Genome Research Facility.
This simulation model allows various scenarios to be run which test how different percentages of nutrient reductions (and the parallel improvement in inshore reef quality) might operate in conjunction with raised water temperatures (as a result of climate change). \n \nThe model has been used for the following simulations: \nThe beneficial impact of end-of-catchment dissolved inorganic nutrients reductions (10%, 30%, 50% and 70%) in raising the bleaching resistance (i.e. the UTBT, °C) of inshore reefs between Townsville and Cooktown.
A three-dimensional whole-of-GBR baroclinic hydrodynamic model was applied at a spatial resolution of between 1 and 4 km. The model simulations are compiled to examine the intensity, duration and frequency of different lower salinity events. Return periods are then calculated from the annual frequency of such events. \n \nThe model includes the factors affecting currents, mixing, temperature and salinity within the GBR lagoon and exchanges with the adjacent Coral Sea: river discharge, time-series wind, tidal.
A baseline survey of green (no-take) zoned sites and blue (open to fishing) sites in adjacent areas of the northern Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was carried out in December 2006. Three paired sites were surveyed in the Cairns region on deepwater shoals in the vicinity of Green Island and Michaelmas Reef (one green, one blue site off each), and Hastings (Green) and Oyster (blue) Reefs. Assessment of the fish communities was enumerated using baited underwater video sets (BRUVS) and habitat was characterised by towed video.
Abundance and size of the sponge Coscinoderma matthewsi was surveyed at 5 island groups in November 2006: Ugar (Stephen Island) and Erub (Darnley Island) in eastern Torres Strait; and Masig (Yorke Island), Poruma (Coconut Island) and Warraber (Sue Island) in central Torres Strait. These island groups are on average, 66 km apart.Surveys were carried out at 7 or 8 randomly selected locations in each island group with each location at least 2 km apart, averaging 8 km. Each location was divided into 2 sites, approximately 200 m apart.
In March 2007, November 2007 and May 2008, between 6 and 11 sites were surveyed on the coral reefs at Keats Island and Yorke Islands (Masig Island and Kodall Island), in central Torres Strait, to determine the abundance and size frequency patterns of Coscinoderma matthewsi. Sites were located at least 1 km apart and at each site, surveys were conducted at both shallow (4-6 m) and deep (10-12 m) depths, with the former generally on the reef flat. Three 20 x 1 m transects were examined at each depth, with transects separated by at least 20 m to retain independence.
During August 2005, sediment was collected from four reefs in the Whitsunday Islands and two adjacent midshelf reefs, situated along a previously studied water quality gradient. The reefs at Repulse and Lindeman Islands are influenced by discharge generated by the Proserpine and O'Connell Rivers. In the outer Whitsunday Islands, Hook and Edward Islands reefs, are subject to terrestrial influence, which is largely derived from the islands themselves. The midshelf reefs, Barb Reef and Reef 19-138 are essentially unaffected by terrestrial discharge.
A study of recruitment of marine invertebrates around Masig Island and Marsden Island, in central Torres Strait commenced in November 2006 and ended in November 2008.Terracotta settlement plates (11 cm x 11 cm) with well pitted surfaces were deployed at three locations on the northern side of each island, with locations two hundred metres apart. Each location was further divided into three sites, each twenty metres apart. At each site, five plates were deployed, roughly one metre apart, at both six metres and twelve metres depth.
A one-off study of the effects of handling on Coscinoderma mathewsi around Masig (Yorke) and Kodall (off Masig) Islands. Experimental work was carried out in 2009. \n \nMeasurements of growth (cm) and survival were made to determine how handling might affect sponge growth and survival under aquaculture conditions.\n To determine how handling under aquaculture condiditons might affect sponge growth and survival in Coscinoderma mathewsi.\n
This experimental study of larval settlement behaviour of Coscinoderma mathewsi, undertaken in December 2009, explored some specific aspects of recruitment behaviour raised from the Torres Strait recuritment study. \n \nResearch was conducted in tanks at Orpheus Island under controlled conditions to complement field recruitment studies in the Torres Strait (see separate metadata record). Coscinoderma larvae were obtained from Orpheus Island. \n \nThis study determined specific pre-settlement larval behaviours including pre-competency periods and chemical and physical settlement cues.