2016 SoE Marine Chapter - State and Trends - Coral reefs (<25m)

Brief description

The Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "The state and trends of quality of habitats and communities – Coral reefs (<25m)". The full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided), is attached to this record. Where available, the Data Stream(s) used to generate this Expert Assessment are accessible through the "On-line Resources" section of this record. ---------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF ECOLOGICAL HABITAT/COMMUNITY FOR EXPERT ASSESSMENT Hard corals occur in shallow waters all around tropical and subtropical Australia, forming both biogenic coral reefs and diverse communities of corals growing on rock. There are coral reefs in the World Heritage sites of Shark Bay, Lord Howe Is, Ningaloo Reef and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Many nearshore reefs in the north and northwest have been little studied and recent surveys have found surprisingly diverse communities. DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT For Great Barrier Reef: • Marine Monitoring Program (GBRMPA/AIMS) • AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program For NW Australia: • WA DPAW unpublished data • CSIRO unpublished data ---------------------------------------- 2016 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details] • 2016 • Assessment grade: Poor-Good Assessment trend: Stable -Deteriorating Confidence grade: Adequate high quality evidence and high level of consensus Confidence trend: Adequate high quality evidence and high level of consensus Comparability: Grade and trend are somewhat comparable to the 2011 assessment • 2011 • Assessment grade: Good Assessment trend: Stable Confidence grade: Limited evidence or limited consensus Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus ---------------------------------------- CHANGES SINCE 2011 SOE ASSESSMENT Environmental conditions (water temperatures, cyclones COTS outbreaks) and continuing pressures affecting reefs.

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Statement: QUALITY OF DATA USED IN THE ASSESSMENT Good and in the case of the AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program a time series of >20 years

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Purpose
To describe the state and trends in coral reefs (<25m) for use in the Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment report.