Key Source Reefs for Coral Recovery after 2016-2017 Great Barrier Reef Bleaching

Larval connectivity data identifies reefs that can supply coral larvae to other reefs damaged during the 2016-2017 mass bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef. The dataset is based on satellite-derived Degree Heating Week (DHW) thresholds and larval dispersal simulations from seven spawning seasons between 2008 and 2017. It was produced by the NESP TWQ 4.5 project at the University of Queensland and hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Identify priority source reefs for coral community recovery based on connectivity patterns and thermal exposure above 6 DHW.
• Model recovery pathways for heat-sensitive coral species using connectivity from reefs with exposure below 3 DHW.
• Plan marine protected area networks by analyzing larval supply relationships between damaged and undamaged reefs.
• Validate coral larval dispersal models using the seven-year oceanographic pattern data mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Analysis uses two established thermal stress thresholds (3 and 6 Degree Heating Weeks) for different coral community impacts.
• Connectivity patterns are derived from seven modeled spawning seasons spanning 2008 to 2017.
• Thermal exposure data is based on satellite sea-surface temperature layers at 5x5 km resolution from NOAA Coral Reef Watch.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The larval dispersal model is parameterized for broadcast-spawning Acropora corals, which may not represent all coral taxa.

Provenance

Source

NESP TWQ 4.5, University of Queensland, via Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Satellite-derived DHW analysis combined with larval dispersal simulations using the Connie2 tool and eReefs hydrodynamics.

Time Range

Thermal stress data from 2016-2017; connectivity simulations from summers 2008-09 to 2016-17.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 13:05:03.232001; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Barrier Reef, Australia.