October 2015 surveys recorded percent cover of major benthic categories and density of fish functional groups on fringing coral reefs. The data summarises results from the Keppel Island group as part of a long-term monitoring project assessing no-take marine reserve zoning effects. The project, established in 1999 and expanded in 2004, uses underwater visual census to survey fish and benthic communities.
Use Cases
- Compare benthic community composition between fished and no-take zones based on percent cover data.
- Analyze fish population density for 15 families across different management zones.
- Assess long-term ecological effects of the 2004 Great Barrier Reef rezoning using baseline data from this monitoring project.
Strengths
- Data is part of a long-term monitoring project established in 1999 with a solid baseline prior to 2004 zoning changes.
- Surveys recorded approximately 190 fish species from 15 families using standardized underwater visual census methods.
- Sites are evenly distributed between zones open to fishing and no-take reserves established in 1987 and 2004.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Data freshness should be verified; last metadata update was 2026-07-10.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Underwater visual census (UVC) using SCUBA, with two observers recording data along 50m x 6m transects.
- Time Range
- 2015 (specifically October 2015 survey)
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-07-10 16:19:56.075754; freshness should be verified
- Geography
- Fringing coral reefs of the Keppel Island group, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia.