AIMS-LTMP and MMP Coral Reef Monitoring Modelled Output

Brief description

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has been running coral reef monitoring programs since the 1980s, including both the Long-Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) and Marine Monitoring Program (MMP). These monitoring programs are designed to detect changes in coral reef communities at a sub-regional scale. Within this context, a subregion consists of inshore, mid-shelf, and outer shelf reefs across the continental shelf within one band of latitude (considered a sector).


Data are modelled for presentation on the AIMS Reef Reporting Dashboard https://apps.aims.gov.au/reef-monitoring/reefs.


The Reef Monitoring Reporting (MonRep) platform displays modelled data collected by AIMS' Long-Term Monitoring Program and Marine Monitoring Program at reef level, latitudinal Sector or Natural Resource Management (NRM)-region level in the Reef Monitoring Tool. How the data has been modelled for each graph is explained below for each data type.


Benthic community cover


Reef-level photo transect data.


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) to model the benthos over time. Specifically, for each major benthic group (live hard coral, algae and soft corals) a model containing the population-level effects of year crossed with major taxonomic groups and the varying effects of transects nested within sites were fit to binomial photo point counts.


NRM-region/Sector photo transect data.


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) to model the benthos over time. Specifically, for each NRM region/Sector and major benthic group (live hard coral, macroalgae and soft corals) a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of depth and transects nested within sites nested within reefs were fit to binomial photo point counts.


Manta tow surveys


Reef-level manta-tow data.


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) to model the benthos over time. Specifically, for each major benthic group (live hard coral and soft corals) a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of tows were fit against a beta distribution to percentage cover data.


For NRM region//Sector level manta-tow data.


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) to model the benthos over time. Specifically, for each NRM region/Sector major benthic group (live hard coral and soft corals) a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of tows nested within reef were fit against a beta distribution to percentage cover data.


Juvenile hard corals


Reef-level data


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) were used to model the juvenile coral abundances (counts) over time. Specifically, a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of sites were fit against a zero-inflated negative binomial and also included a (log-transformed) offset for available substrate.


NRM region/Sector level data


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) were used to model the juvenile coral abundances (counts) over time. Specifically, for each NRM region/Sector a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of sites nested within reefs were fit against a zero-inflated negative binomial and also included a (log-transformed) offset for available substrate.


Reef fish


Reef-level data


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) to model the fish abundances (counts) over time. Specifically, for each major fish group (Harvested, Herbivores, Coral Trout, Large fishes and Small fishes) a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of transects nested within sites were fit against zero-inflated negative binomials.


NRM region/Sector level data


Bayesian hierarchical models (INLA) to model the fish abundances (counts) over time. Specifically, for each NRM region/Sector and for each major fish group (Harvested, Herbivores, Coral Trout, Large fishes and Small fishes) a model containing the population-level effects of year and the varying effects of transects nested within sites nested within reefs were fit against zero-inflated negative binomials.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: annually

Statement: Former title of this record was MonRep Modelled data, minor updates to the text summary were made on 06-Feb-2024.

Notes

Credit
Logan, M