Suspended-Sediment Loads in the Southern Great Barrier Reef from Tidal Sampling

A mechanical system for collecting suspended-sediment samples at various tidal stages provided the first quantitative data on sediment transport in a modern coral reef environment. Suspension loads were monitored over One Tree Reef using sampling towers, siphon systems, and current meters. The results show large suspension-load fluxes that fluctuate with the tidal cycle.

Use Cases

• Modeling sediment transport into lagoons based on tidal cycle data
• Analyzing the relationship between current velocity and suspended-sediment load
• Quantifying calcium carbonate suspension in reef waters based on titration results
• Studying sedimentological processes over leeward reef margins

Strengths

• First experiment of its nature conducted in a modern coral reef environment.
• Quantitative data on suspended-sediment load transport collected via a mechanical sampling system.
• Water movement was monitored using fluorescein dye casts and arrays of bidirectional current meters.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the single study site in the southern Great Barrier Reef.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Samples collected by siphon action at selected tidal levels from sampling towers; suspended calcium carbonate determined by complexometric titration.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 03:01:25.172835; freshness should be verified.

Geography

One Tree Reef in the southern Great Barrier Reef