NERP TE Project 5.1 Understanding diversity of the GBR: spatial and temporal dynamics and environmental drivers (AIMS)

Research Project

Researchers: De'ath, Glenn, Dr (Principal investigator) ,  De'ath, Glenn, Dr (Key party responsible for gathering information and conducting research) ,  Lawrey, Eric, Dr (Point of contact)

Brief description Our current knowledge of the mechanisms that affect diversity of plants and animals on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is minimal. This project will map the diversity of groups of organisms and environments of the GBR using existing long-term and large-scale data, and relate biotic diversity to spatial, environmental and temporal drivers. These relationships will be interpreted in the context of risk, zoning and management. Outcomes include: 1. Online interactive maps of the diversity of fishes, corals, other organisms and environments of the GBR. 2. Quantification of changes in diversity in space and time for GBR organisms and environments. 3. Identification of the main drivers of diversity on the GBR and greater understanding of how diversity changes in response to disturbances and threats. 4. Diversity-based indicators of reef and seafloor condition. 5. Assessment of the effects of the rezoning on diversity on GBR reefs and seafloor. This project is now complete.

Notes Credit
Dr Glenn De’ath (AIMS), Dr Katharina Fabricius (AIMS), Alistair Cheal (AIMS), Dr Mike Cappo (AIMS)

Notes Purpose
Over-simplified definitions of diversity have limited our understanding and precluded the capacity to relate diversity to complex environmental drivers. A new statistical model of diversity, called the multinomial diversity model, can relate change in diversity to multiple predictors and their interactions. The new model now allows us to address questions such as: How does diversity change over time? Do rates of change vary between regions? What are the projected levels of diversity for future years?

Data time period: 2011-07-01 to 2014-12-31

142.907,-10.616 142.907,-24.298 152.891,-24.298 152.891,-10.616 142.907,-10.616

147.899,-17.457

-24.29818,86 -10.6164,86

-17.45728775,90

text: westlimit=152.891; southlimit=-24.298; eastlimit=142.907; northlimit=-10.616