Data

Effect of marine reserve status on coral seeding in the inshore Great Barrier Reef

Name: Effect of marine reserve status on coral seeding in the inshore Great Barrier Reef
Published: 2025

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]

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/bbf15cd5-3835-4b91-83c8-924908da6faf&rft.title=Effect of marine reserve status on coral seeding in the inshore Great Barrier Reef&rft.identifier=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/bbf15cd5-3835-4b91-83c8-924908da6faf&rft.publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)&rft.description=In a 11-month field study, we deployed ex-situ reared Acropora millepora spat on coral seeding devices across 6 sites (3 from 'take' reserves open to fishing, 3 from 'no-take' reserves closed to fishing) in the Keppel Islands Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Woppabura sea Country, inshore, southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia). Two devices with fish-exclusion features (exclusion star and exclusion triangle) were tested against a control device (featureless control star). Mature gravid Acorpora millepora (Dana 1846) colonies were collected in November 2022 and transported back to the research vessel equiped with coral holding and spawning facilities. Gamete bundles were collected, separated, washed, fertilised, then transferred to larval rearing tanks where they remained until they reached settlement competency after 5-6 days. Conditioned concrete tabs (14 × 14 mm2; developed under the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program) were used as settlement substrates. The tabs contained a mixed community of crustose coralline algae and bacteria biofilms that are known to induce settlement of Acorpora corals; these were conditioned in aquaria (National Sea Simulator, AIMS, Townsville) for 2-months prior to spawning and settlement. Corals in devices were seeded to 6 sites, in one of the 13 experimental plots at ~4-6m depth (LAT). The hierarchical design included location (n=1), sites (n=6), experimental plots (n=13, 12 plots with 6 devices and 1 plot with 3), device type (n=3), contrete settlement tabs (n=3 for the exclusion star and control, n=6 for the exclusion triangle), and coral spat (n=~12 per tab) . Devices were semi-fixed in experimental plots (connected to reo bar via rope, with the reo hammered into the substrate) and hand placed by divers but had the potential to move within a given plot. Material was removed after 11 months.Data were collected at 4 timepoints and included quantitative and qualitative assessments to determine the influence of biological (fish abundance and feeding, benthic composition) and environmental (sedimentation, reserve status, site) drivers on coral survival and size. Assessments were categorised and analysed by spatial scale: tab, plot, or site. Bayesian hierarchical logistic mixed-effects regression models, principal component and redundancy analyses were used to interogate the data. Please refer to the publication for more details on the statistical analyses.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: The data was collected of in-water surveys using standard protocols involving transects, quadrats, video recordings, imagery, and data loggers. All benthic and fish identification were completed by a trained observer, with only one observer where possible. Coral survival was assesed ex-situ at the final timepoint. Fish abundance was observed during stationary point count surveys (5-min intervals, 5-m radius). GoPro video footage was used to obtain fish feeding information in 0.25 m2 quadrats around devices. Quadrat imagery was used to identify and estimate the cover of benthic community constituents growing near devices; this was analysed manually using the ReefCloud online data base (https://reefcloud.ai/). The files include data from all timepoints that were used in the analyses.&rft.creator=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) &rft.date=2025&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.937758; southlimit=-23.19768799; eastlimit=150.937758; northlimit=-23.19768799&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.937758; southlimit=-23.19768799; eastlimit=150.937758; northlimit=-23.19768799&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.920475; southlimit=-23.16170398; eastlimit=150.920475; northlimit=-23.16170398&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.920475; southlimit=-23.16170398; eastlimit=150.920475; northlimit=-23.16170398&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.903941; southlimit=-23.14974703; eastlimit=150.903941; northlimit=-23.14974703&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.903941; southlimit=-23.14974703; eastlimit=150.903941; northlimit=-23.14974703&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.896416; southlimit=-23.08593501; eastlimit=150.896416; northlimit=-23.08593501&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.896416; southlimit=-23.08593501; eastlimit=150.896416; northlimit=-23.08593501&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.969082; southlimit=-23.20092299; eastlimit=150.969082; northlimit=-23.20092299&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.969082; southlimit=-23.20092299; eastlimit=150.969082; northlimit=-23.20092299&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.886304; southlimit=-23.08553402; eastlimit=150.886304; northlimit=-23.08553402&rft.coverage=westlimit=150.886304; southlimit=-23.08553402; eastlimit=150.886304; northlimit=-23.08553402&rft_rights=Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/&rft_rights=Use Limitation: 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=Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2025). Effect of marine reserve status on coral seeding in the inshore Great Barrier Reef. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/bbf15cd5-3835-4b91-83c8-924908da6faf, accessed[date-of-access].&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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Use Limitation: 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.

Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: "Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2025). Effect of marine reserve status on coral seeding in the inshore Great Barrier Reef. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/bbf15cd5-3835-4b91-83c8-924908da6faf, accessed[date-of-access]".

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In a 11-month field study, we deployed ex-situ reared Acropora millepora spat on coral seeding devices across 6 sites (3 from 'take' reserves open to fishing, 3 from 'no-take' reserves closed to fishing) in the Keppel Islands Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Woppabura sea Country, inshore, southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia). Two devices with fish-exclusion features (exclusion star and exclusion triangle) were tested against a control device (featureless control star).

Mature gravid Acorpora millepora (Dana 1846) colonies were collected in November 2022 and transported back to the research vessel equiped with coral holding and spawning facilities. Gamete bundles were collected, separated, washed, fertilised, then transferred to larval rearing tanks where they remained until they reached settlement competency after 5-6 days. Conditioned concrete tabs (14 × 14 mm2; developed under the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program) were used as settlement substrates. The tabs contained a mixed community of crustose coralline algae and bacteria biofilms that are known to induce settlement of Acorpora corals; these were conditioned in aquaria (National Sea Simulator, AIMS, Townsville) for 2-months prior to spawning and settlement.

Corals in devices were seeded to 6 sites, in one of the 13 experimental plots at ~4-6m depth (LAT). The hierarchical design included location (n=1), sites (n=6), experimental plots (n=13, 12 plots with 6 devices and 1 plot with 3), device type (n=3), contrete settlement tabs (n=3 for the exclusion star and control, n=6 for the exclusion triangle), and coral spat (n=~12 per tab) . Devices were semi-fixed in experimental plots (connected to reo bar via rope, with the reo hammered into the substrate) and hand placed by divers but had the potential to move within a given plot. Material was removed after 11 months.

Data were collected at 4 timepoints and included quantitative and qualitative assessments to determine the influence of biological (fish abundance and feeding, benthic composition) and environmental (sedimentation, reserve status, site) drivers on coral survival and size. Assessments were categorised and analysed by spatial scale: tab, plot, or site. Bayesian hierarchical logistic mixed-effects regression models, principal component and redundancy analyses were used to interogate the data. Please refer to the publication for more details on the statistical analyses.

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Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: The data was collected of in-water surveys using standard protocols involving transects, quadrats, video recordings, imagery, and data loggers. All benthic and fish identification were completed by a trained observer, with only one observer where possible. Coral survival was assesed ex-situ at the final timepoint. Fish abundance was observed during stationary point count surveys (5-min intervals, 5-m radius). GoPro video footage was used to obtain fish feeding information in 0.25 m2 quadrats around devices. Quadrat imagery was used to identify and estimate the cover of benthic community constituents growing near devices; this was analysed manually using the ReefCloud online data base (https://reefcloud.ai/). The files include data from all timepoints that were used in the analyses.

Notes

Credit
Hoogenboom M

Credit
Negri A

Credit
Page C

Credit
Randall C

Credit
Galbraith G

Credit
James Cook University (JCU), Townsville, Australia

Credit
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Australia

Credit
Giuliano C

Modified: 19 09 2025

This dataset is part of a larger collection

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text: westlimit=150.937758; southlimit=-23.19768799; eastlimit=150.937758; northlimit=-23.19768799

text: westlimit=150.920475; southlimit=-23.16170398; eastlimit=150.920475; northlimit=-23.16170398

text: westlimit=150.903941; southlimit=-23.14974703; eastlimit=150.903941; northlimit=-23.14974703

text: westlimit=150.896416; southlimit=-23.08593501; eastlimit=150.896416; northlimit=-23.08593501

text: westlimit=150.969082; southlimit=-23.20092299; eastlimit=150.969082; northlimit=-23.20092299

text: westlimit=150.886304; southlimit=-23.08553402; eastlimit=150.886304; northlimit=-23.08553402

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global : bbf15cd5-3835-4b91-83c8-924908da6faf

Effect of marine reserve status on coral seeding in the inshore Great Barrier Reef

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Notes

This dataset is part of a larger collection

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Coral survival

Coral size

Benthic data

Fish count data

Fish feeding data

Sediment data