Realm: Marine
Climate: Tropical
Biome: Tropical coral
Central latitude: -14.699839
Central longitude: 145.448674
Duration: 2 years, from 2015 to 2016

156 records

114 distinct species

Across the time series Diploastrea heliopora is the most frequently occurring species

Methods

Spatial mapping of coral colonies via in water species identification in 2015 and 2016 at the same site. In 2014 a photo mosaic of the area was generated by stitching multiple stereo-paired photographs of the reef obtained via an underwater automated vehicle. The map was sectioned into 2 by 5 meter tiles and printed on underwater paper to be used in the field. A team then travelled to the site and, using the underwater maps, identified every colony within each tile that was over 5cm diameter and marked it's position on the map. Any unsure or unidentifiable species were photographed for later identification. The extent of the map was 200m squared, broken into 20 2 by 5 meter tiles. Both the mapping and the survey was then redone at the same site in 2016, post cyclone and post 2015/16 coral bleaching event (El Nino) for comparison.

Citation(s)

Dornelas, M., Hoogenboom, M., Blowes, S.A., Chase, T.J., Frank, G.E., Madin, J.S., Pizarro, O., Williams, S.B. & Zawada, K. "Lizard Island Trimodal Coral 2015 - 2016". Accessed 2017.