COTS Initiation Zone Polygon 2016 (Accelerated Partnership, AIMS)

A single polygon shapefile defining a speculative Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) primary outbreak zone on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The polygon, created by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) for the Accelerated Partnership, spans from Green Island to north of Lizard Island. It was drawn in ArcMap based on reef coverage and historical outbreak data from 1996-2000.

Use Cases

• Define a target area for evaluating surveillance and culling investment based on the described initiation zone.
• Model potential agricultural run-off reduction strategies within the specified polygon area.
• Study historical outbreak patterns by overlaying this zone with other spatial data on the Great Barrier Reef.

Strengths

• The polygon is based on a published scientific reference (Wooldridge and Brodie, 2015).
• The creation method is explicitly described, including the rationale for northern and southern boundaries.
• The dataset is stored in an enduring data repository (eAtlas), suggesting long-term preservation.

Limitations

• The shapefile contains only 1 polygon with no attribute data, limiting analytical depth.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Polygon drawn freehand in ArcMap to cover reefs from Green Island to north of Lizard Island, informed by historical outbreak levels.

Time Range

The dataset reflects a 2016 snapshot, informed by outbreak periods from 1996-2000.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 12:22:43.008469; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Barrier Reef, Australia, from Green Island to north of Lizard Island.