NESP TWQ Project 3.7 - Monitoring the effects of zoning on coral reefs and their associate

AIMS long-term monitoring data on the effects of zoning on coral reef and fish communities in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The dataset covers one survey trip in July-October 2015 to the southern GBR, including Capricorn-Bunker and Swain Reefs, using the RV Cape Ferguson. The reefs were of interest as they were recovering from severe storms, including TC Hamish in 2009.

Use Cases

• Assessing the impact of marine park zoning on coral reef health based on the described monitoring program.
• Analyzing fish community recovery following severe storms like TC Hamish based on the project's focus.
• Comparing reef conditions across different regions of the Great Barrier Reef based on the long-term monitoring context.

Strengths

• Data is part of a long-term monitoring program by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS).
• Focuses on specific reefs (Capricorn-Bunker and Swain Reefs) recovering from a documented storm event (TC Hamish in 2009).
• Survey conducted using a dedicated research vessel (RV Cape Ferguson).

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data freshness should be verified as the last metadata update is listed as 2026-07-10.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Field surveys conducted from the RV Cape Ferguson research vessel.

Time Range

July-October 2015

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 14:39:03.950832; freshness should be verified

Geography

Southern Great Barrier Reef, specifically Capricorn-Bunker and Swain Reefs.