Data

Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef

Name: Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef
Published: 2026

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

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ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/a600d982-1518-46a5-bfe2-d86e154be889&rft.title=Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef&rft.identifier=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/a600d982-1518-46a5-bfe2-d86e154be889&rft.publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)&rft.description=This research was conducted to understand the relationship between water quality and ecological attributes on coral reef communities, through field surveys on naturally turbid inshore coral reefs that vary in exposure to water bourne sediment, nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations. Reefs in two regions were surveyed for biodiversity of algae, hard corals, octocorals and fish. Region PC: Princess Charlotte Bay (in the Claremont Isles, north of PC Bay) and and Region WT: Wet Tropics (between Tully and Port Douglas). SOme reefs were surveyed for the all four groups of taxa, while others were surveyed for some groups of the biodiversity. Four groups of taxa were surveyed using rapid ecological assessments based on standardized scuba-swims by experts:1 -macroalgae, mostly identified to genus level2- hard corals , idenified to species level3- octocorals, identified to genus level4 -fish, identified to species or species groupsAbundances of the three benthic groups were rated on a 6-point scale as 0 = ‘absent’, 1 = ‘rare’, 2 = ‘uncommon’, 3 = ‘common’, 4 = ‘abundant’, and 5 = ‘dominant’.Abundances of some of the fish species were estimated on a log (base 5) scale (Williams, 1982), whereas less abundant fish species were fully enumerated.Water Quality data was collected between December 2000 and April 2002. Surface water samples were taken at each reef for analysis of 12 water quality variables: particulate nitrogen and phosphorus (PN, PP), nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus (TDN, TDP), silicate (Sil), chlorophyll (Chl), phaeopigments (Phae), salinity (Sal) and suspended solids (SS).Analysies included: Redundancy analyses, Permutation tests, Log-linear regression models and Model averaging of models based on the Bayesian Information Criterion was used.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned&rft.creator=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) &rft.date=2026&rft.coverage=westlimit=143.49499039161395; southlimit=-14.37438092458212; eastlimit=144.2995312503967; northlimit=-13.378931332254474&rft.coverage=westlimit=143.49499039161395; southlimit=-14.37438092458212; eastlimit=144.2995312503967; northlimit=-13.378931332254474&rft.coverage=westlimit=145.27733515759732; southlimit=-16.46945041671245; eastlimit=145.71617574777292; northlimit=-15.13046152111371&rft.coverage=westlimit=145.27733515759732; southlimit=-16.46945041671245; eastlimit=145.71617574777292; northlimit=-15.13046152111371&rft_rights=All AIMS data, products and services are provided as is and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.&rft_rights=The data was collected under contract between AIMS and another party(s). Specific agreements for access and use of the data shall be negotiated separately. Contact the AIMS Data Centre ([email protected]) for further information&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.

The data was collected under contract between AIMS and another party(s). Specific agreements for access and use of the data shall be negotiated separately. Contact the AIMS Data Centre ([email protected]) for further information

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Full description

This research was conducted to understand the relationship between water quality and ecological attributes on coral reef communities, through field surveys on naturally turbid inshore coral reefs that vary in exposure to water bourne sediment, nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations. Reefs in two regions were surveyed for biodiversity of algae, hard corals, octocorals and fish. Region PC: Princess Charlotte Bay (in the Claremont Isles, north of PC Bay) and and Region WT: Wet Tropics (between Tully and Port Douglas). SOme reefs were surveyed for the all four groups of taxa, while others were surveyed for some groups of the biodiversity.

Four groups of taxa were surveyed using rapid ecological assessments based on standardized scuba-swims by experts:

1 -macroalgae, mostly identified to genus level

2- hard corals , idenified to species level

3- octocorals, identified to genus level

4 -fish, identified to species or species groups

Abundances of the three benthic groups were rated on a 6-point scale as 0 = ‘absent’, 1 = ‘rare’, 2 = ‘uncommon’, 3 = ‘common’, 4 = ‘abundant’, and 5 = ‘dominant’.

Abundances of some of the fish species were estimated on a log (base 5) scale (Williams, 1982), whereas less abundant fish species were fully enumerated.

Water Quality data was collected between December 2000 and April 2002. Surface water samples were taken at each reef for analysis of 12 water quality variables: particulate nitrogen and phosphorus (PN, PP), nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus (TDN, TDP), silicate (Sil), chlorophyll (Chl), phaeopigments (Phae), salinity (Sal) and suspended solids (SS).

Analysies included: Redundancy analyses, Permutation tests, Log-linear regression models and Model averaging of models based on the Bayesian Information Criterion was used.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Notes

Credit
Williams, D McB. (AIMS)

Credit
Fabricius, K. Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Credit
De'ath, G. (AIMS)

Credit
Turak, E. (AIMS)

Modified: 18 09 2026

This dataset is part of a larger collection

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text: westlimit=143.49499039161395; southlimit=-14.37438092458212; eastlimit=144.2995312503967; northlimit=-13.378931332254474

text: westlimit=145.27733515759732; southlimit=-16.46945041671245; eastlimit=145.71617574777292; northlimit=-15.13046152111371

Subjects

oceans |

User Contributed Tags

Other Information

Water clarity and water quality, catchment to reef dataset, Great Barrier Reef,

url : https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/273fd55d-84d3-4781-a193-ab58695cb4c4 External Link

Fabricius KE, De'ath AG, McCook LJ, Turak EI and Williams DMcB (2005) Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 51: 384-398.

local : 11068/6847

Identifiers

global : a600d982-1518-46a5-bfe2-d86e154be889