Ecological observations associated with an anomalous warming event at the Houtman Abrolhos

Ecological survey data from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia, collected in April 2011. The dataset captures the impact of an anomalous warming event, including coral bleaching and kelp epibiosis, across over 5,600 square meters surveyed by an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. The record is provided by Parks Australia and was originally published via the Australian Marine Parks Science Atlas.

Use Cases

• Modeling coral bleaching susceptibility based on observed temperature peaks of 28.7°C.
• Studying species range shifts based on the location's status as a temperate-tropical transition zone.
• Analyzing epibiosis on kelp (Ecklonia radiata) potentially associated with elevated temperatures.
• Assessing the ecological impact of marine heat waves driven by La Niña conditions.

Strengths

• Surveys cover a specific, quantified area of over 5,600 square meters.
• Data captures a unique, documented temperature anomaly peaking at 28.7°C, 5°C above the long-term mean.
• Observations include specific biological responses, such as bleaching of up to 20% of coral cover per site, primarily Montipora spp.

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 2026-07-15 02:56:21.258174.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia, referencing source publication.

Collection Method

Surveys conducted with an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) at multiple sites between 15 and 25 meters depth, with subsequent image analysis.

Time Range

April 2011, documenting an event from March 2011.

Freshness

2026-07-15 02:56:21.258174

Geography

Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia (28° 43′ 0″ S, 113° 47′ 0″ E).