Data

Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef

Name: Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef
Published: 2026

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/7a3d035d-e957-442b-90a7-e4cc74d7d8b9&rft.title=Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef&rft.identifier=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/7a3d035d-e957-442b-90a7-e4cc74d7d8b9&rft.publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)&rft.description=Surveys of soft corals were conducted on 11 inner-shelf, mid-shelf, outer-shelf and Coral Sea reefs between November 1980 and November 1981. The reefs surveyed were Havannah Island, Phillips, Pandora, Davies, John Brewer, Rib, Dip, Myrmidon, Flinders South. Flinders Cay and Flinders Southwest. These reefs (except for Davies Reef) were located along an approximately SW-NE transect across the central Great Barrier Reef and into the Coral Sea.Soft coral genera were recorded along 25-40m transects located within contiguous 5m bands (sites) from the reef crest down the reef slope. Reef flat areas adjacent to the reef slope locations were also surveyed along transects generally 40m in length, situated parallel to the reef edge. The total percentage cover of soft corals and the relative percentage cover of each soft coral genus to the total soft coral cover were visually estimated using a 7-point graded cover scale. Soft corals that could not be identified to genus were collected for identification in the laboratory.Environmental data collected at each site included exposure to swell and wave action, depth, angle of slope, approximate percentages of hard and soft substrate, relative proportion of hard and soft substrate types and estimates of the total percentage cover of hard corals. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of soft corals across the continental shelf and in the Coral Sea in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef. The study was complementary to cross shelf studies of other taxa including fish and hard corals.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: Statement: Percentage cover categories:0 = 0%1 = 1-5%2 = 6-15%3 = 16-30%4 = 31-50%5 = 51-75%6 = 76-100%Exposure categories:exposedsemi-exposedprotectedAngle of slope categories:horizontalgradualintermediate (~45°)steep verticalHard substrate categories:staghorn rubblesmall or large coral blockssolid platformSoft substrate categories:mudsandgravel&rft.creator=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) &rft.date=2026&rft.coverage=westlimit=148.355419; southlimit=-17.705231; eastlimit=148.355419; northlimit=-17.705231&rft.coverage=westlimit=148.355419; southlimit=-17.705231; eastlimit=148.355419; northlimit=-17.705231&rft.coverage=westlimit=148.460153; southlimit=-17.720177; eastlimit=148.460153; northlimit=-17.720177&rft.coverage=westlimit=148.460153; southlimit=-17.720177; eastlimit=148.460153; northlimit=-17.720177&rft.coverage=westlimit=148.529741; southlimit=-17.866369; eastlimit=148.529741; northlimit=-17.866369&rft.coverage=westlimit=148.529741; southlimit=-17.866369; eastlimit=148.529741; northlimit=-17.866369&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.389212; southlimit=-18.266819; eastlimit=147.389212; northlimit=-18.266819&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.389212; southlimit=-18.266819; eastlimit=147.389212; northlimit=-18.266819&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.044965; southlimit=-18.63358; eastlimit=147.044965; northlimit=-18.63358&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.044965; southlimit=-18.63358; eastlimit=147.044965; northlimit=-18.63358&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.445756; southlimit=-18.413512; eastlimit=147.445756; northlimit=-18.413512&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.445756; southlimit=-18.413512; eastlimit=147.445756; northlimit=-18.413512&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.870471; southlimit=-18.479463; eastlimit=146.870471; northlimit=-18.479463&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.870471; southlimit=-18.479463; eastlimit=146.870471; northlimit=-18.479463&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.649572; southlimit=-18.819402; eastlimit=147.649572; northlimit=-18.819402&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.649572; southlimit=-18.819402; eastlimit=147.649572; northlimit=-18.819402&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.434195; southlimit=-18.812434; eastlimit=146.434195; northlimit=-18.812434&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.434195; southlimit=-18.812434; eastlimit=146.434195; northlimit=-18.812434&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.619301; southlimit=-18.976199; eastlimit=146.619301; northlimit=-18.976199&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.619301; southlimit=-18.976199; eastlimit=146.619301; northlimit=-18.976199&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.543429; southlimit=-18.839723; eastlimit=146.543429; northlimit=-18.839723&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.543429; southlimit=-18.839723; eastlimit=146.543429; northlimit=-18.839723&rft_rights=Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/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). (2010). Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/7a3d035d-e957-442b-90a7-e4cc74d7d8b9, accessed[date-of-access].&rft_rights=Resource Usage:Use of the AIMS data is for not-for-profit applications only. All other users shall seek permission for use by contacting AIMS. Acknowledgements as prescribed must be clearly set out in the user's formal communications or publications.&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

Access data via landing page
https://apps.aims.gov....

Cite Saved to MyRDA Save to MyRDA

Licence & Rights:

Other view details

Unknown

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/au/

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). (2010). Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/7a3d035d-e957-442b-90a7-e4cc74d7d8b9, accessed[date-of-access]".

Resource Usage:Use of the AIMS data is for not-for-profit applications only. All other users shall seek permission for use by contacting AIMS. Acknowledgements as prescribed must be clearly set out in the user's formal communications or publications.

Access:

Other

Full description

Surveys of soft corals were conducted on 11 inner-shelf, mid-shelf, outer-shelf and Coral Sea reefs between November 1980 and November 1981. The reefs surveyed were Havannah Island, Phillips, Pandora, Davies, John Brewer, Rib, Dip, Myrmidon, Flinders "South". Flinders Cay and Flinders "Southwest". These reefs (except for Davies Reef) were located along an approximately SW-NE transect across the central Great Barrier Reef and into the Coral Sea.Soft coral genera were recorded along 25-40m transects located within contiguous 5m bands (sites) from the reef crest down the reef slope. Reef flat areas adjacent to the reef slope locations were also surveyed along transects generally 40m in length, situated parallel to the reef edge. The total percentage cover of soft corals and the relative percentage cover of each soft coral genus to the total soft coral cover were visually estimated using a 7-point graded cover scale. Soft corals that could not be identified to genus were collected for identification in the laboratory.Environmental data collected at each site included exposure to swell and wave action, depth, angle of slope, approximate percentages of hard and soft substrate, relative proportion of hard and soft substrate types and estimates of the total percentage cover of hard corals.
The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of soft corals across the continental shelf and in the Coral Sea in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef. The study was complementary to cross shelf studies of other taxa including fish and hard corals.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Statement: Percentage cover categories:0 = 0%1 = 1-5%2 = 6-15%3 = 16-30%4 = 31-50%5 = 51-75%6 = 76-100%Exposure categories:exposedsemi-exposedprotectedAngle of slope categories:horizontalgradualintermediate (~45°)steep verticalHard substrate categories:staghorn rubblesmall or large coral blockssolid platformSoft substrate categories:mudsandgravel

Notes

Credit
Dinesen, Zena D, Dr (Principal Investigator)

Modified: 18 09 2026

This dataset is part of a larger collection

Click to explore relationships graph

text: westlimit=148.355419; southlimit=-17.705231; eastlimit=148.355419; northlimit=-17.705231

text: westlimit=148.460153; southlimit=-17.720177; eastlimit=148.460153; northlimit=-17.720177

text: westlimit=148.529741; southlimit=-17.866369; eastlimit=148.529741; northlimit=-17.866369

text: westlimit=147.389212; southlimit=-18.266819; eastlimit=147.389212; northlimit=-18.266819

text: westlimit=147.044965; southlimit=-18.63358; eastlimit=147.044965; northlimit=-18.63358

text: westlimit=147.445756; southlimit=-18.413512; eastlimit=147.445756; northlimit=-18.413512

text: westlimit=146.870471; southlimit=-18.479463; eastlimit=146.870471; northlimit=-18.479463

text: westlimit=147.649572; southlimit=-18.819402; eastlimit=147.649572; northlimit=-18.819402

text: westlimit=146.434195; southlimit=-18.812434; eastlimit=146.434195; northlimit=-18.812434

text: westlimit=146.619301; southlimit=-18.976199; eastlimit=146.619301; northlimit=-18.976199

text: westlimit=146.543429; southlimit=-18.839723; eastlimit=146.543429; northlimit=-18.839723

Subjects

oceans |

User Contributed Tags

Other Information

Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef: Dinesen ZD (1983) Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 1: 229-236.

local : articleId=5995

Map

url : https://data.aims.gov.au/mestmapkml/7a3d035d-e957-442b-90a7-e4cc74d7d8b9.kml External Link

Identifiers

global : 7a3d035d-e957-442b-90a7-e4cc74d7d8b9