Coral Reef Health Surveys in the Coral Sea Marine Park, 2018-2020

The Coral Sea Marine Park was surveyed across 120 sites and over 64 km of reef habitat spanning 13 degrees of latitude from 2018 to 2020. James Cook University conducted the project for Parks Australia, recording 259 coral species and 621 reef-associated fish species. The surveys aimed to establish baselines for coral bleaching, reef structure, biodiversity, and fish populations.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns in coral cover and macroalgae composition across 20 reefs.
• Model temporal changes in reef health and coral bleaching against historical baselines.
• Compare biodiversity and community structure between northern, central, and southern reef regions.
• Assess the abundance and biomass of sharks and reef fish at highly isolated reefs.
• Study coral recruitment and injury rates to understand reef recovery potential.

Strengths

• Surveys covered 120 sites across 20 reefs, representing the most extensive assessment in the Coral Sea Marine Park.
• Data includes 259 coral species and 621 reef-associated fish species, a substantial increase from previous assessments.
• Project spans a multi-year timeframe (2018-2020) intended for temporal comparison.
• Surveys included previously under-researched, highly isolated reefs like Ashmore, Boot, and Mellish Reefs.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is provided in DOCX format, which may require conversion for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia, via research by James Cook University.

Collection Method

Detailed annual surveys of coral bleaching, fish, invertebrates, and associated reef health metrics.

Time Range

April 2018 to March 2020

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-16 22:37:34.976433; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Coral Sea Marine Park, spanning from Boot Reef (9.9°S) to Cato Reef (23.2°S)