Coral reef health database (Reef Check Australia)

The Reef Check Australia monitoring program acts as an early warning system for coral community health. Annual surveys provide long-term data that can reveal patterns over time. Trained community volunteers collect quantitative data on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Southeast Queensland coral habitats. Data include substrate percent cover, abundance of key invertebrate species and target fish species. Data on natural and anthropogenic impacts on coral community health are also recorded. The Reef Check method is used which is used in 90 countries world-wide, making these results directly comparable globally. Data units: Quantitative, integer, discrete (e.g number of fish, invertebrates etc). Percentage (e.g. percent coral cover) Categorical (e.g. siltation level: low, medium, high)