Great Barrier Reef Benthic and Fish Survey Data from 2015

Eight reefs in the Capricorn-Bunker Region were surveyed in October 2015, producing three summary tables. The data includes percent cover of benthic organisms, average abundance for reef fish species across 5 transects per site, and reef-wide averages for coral cover, crown-of-thorns starfish, and coral trout from manta tows. This dataset is an extract from the AIMS Long Term Monitoring database, part of a biennial survey series that began in 2006.

Use Cases

• Compare benthic community composition between no-take and fished zones based on percent cover data.
• Model population trends for key fishery species like coral trout based on abundance and density data.
• Assess the impact of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks on coral cover using the manta tow survey averages.
• Analyze temporal changes in reef fish families (e.g., Pomacentridae, Acanthuridae) from the biennial survey time-series.

Strengths

• Data is part of a structured long-term monitoring program with biennial surveys commencing in 2006.
• Surveys cover eight specific reefs with standardized methods: 15 transects per reef for benthic and fish surveys.
• Includes paired comparisons between no-take (green) and fished (blue) zones across five regions of the Great Barrier Reef.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• Data summaries are from 2015; freshness should be verified against more recent surveys.

Provenance

Source

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) Long Term Monitoring database, via Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Standardized underwater visual census, photo transect analysis, and manta tow surveys.

Time Range

October 2015 (latest extract from a biennial time-series starting in 2006).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-19 23:30:34.463623; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Capricorn-Bunker Region, Great Barrier Reef, Australia (specific reefs named).