Ecological effects of climate change on regional diversity patterns of WA coral reefs

Brief description

Data on the Reef corals composing Late Pleistocene reef assemblages exposed at five distinct localities along the west Australian coast were censused and the results compared with coral occurrence data published for the modern reefs offshore of each locality.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: unknown

Statement: Original record compiled for the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), Project 3.8, 2008. Originally sourced from several databases compiled by WA DEC Marine Science Branch of projects relevant to the marine parks of WA. Fossil reefs were sampled using a nested sampling strategy (see thumbnail). At Cape Range, three sites, separated by a minimum of 500m were established. Five 25m transects, separated by 50m were constructed at each site. All corals encountered on each transect were photographed and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible; colony orientation and the length of transect intersected by each colony also were recorded. The Lake Macleod–Cape Cuvier region allowed four sites to be established, while the limited extent of exposures in the Houtman-Abrolhos Islands (Turtle Bay, East Wallabi Island), Leander Point, and Rottnest Island each allowed one site consisting of five to seven transects to be sampled. The transect data were pooled within sites before analysis. ** The modern coral fauna of Western Australia has been collected and documented systematically by a number of workers from the University of Western Australia and through a series of field trips sponsored by the Western Australian Museum and/or the National Parks Authority of Western Australia Variable metadata information was available.

Notes

Credit
John Pandolfi: The University of Queensland (UQ)