GBR Coral Mass Bleaching Extent from 1998 and 2002 Aerial Surveys

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) data records the large-scale coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998 and 2002, mapped via aerial surveys. Surveys covered 654 reefs in 1998 and 641 reefs in 2002, with bleaching severity rated on a five-point scale. The data allowed comparison of spatial patterns, showing the 2002 event was the worst on record, with 54% of reefs bleached to some extent.

Use Cases

• Compare spatial patterns of coral bleaching between 1998 and 2002 based on the GBR-wide survey data.
• Model bleaching extent using Generalized Additive Models based on the gridded KML version of the dataset.
• Analyze the relationship between inshore/offshore reef location and bleaching severity based on the survey findings.
• Validate sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly models against observed bleaching extent from the aerial surveys.

Strengths

• Surveys covered a large spatial scale, including 654 reefs in 1998 and 641 reefs in 2002.
• Data provides a direct comparison between two major bleaching events, with specific statistics (e.g., 54% of reefs bleached in 2002).
• Includes a gridded, interpolated version of the data produced via Generalized Additive Models for spatial analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data collection relies on visual estimates by a single experienced observer, which may introduce observer bias.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), part of the MTSRF 1.1.5 project.

Collection Method

Aerial surveys conducted at 160 m flying height, with bleaching status estimated for whole reefs.

Time Range

1998 and 2002 (surveys in March 2002).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 16:00:50.146990; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Barrier Reef, Australia.