Water Properties of Ashmore Reef, Australia, 1991-Present

Ashmore Reef, a tropical marine reserve, experiences a 4.75-meter semi-diurnal tide moving ~7.5 km³ of water over the reef on a spring tide. The dataset contains observed water quality data from 1991, with an intensive program since 1999, measuring parameters like temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen in regional, lagoonal, and well water. Data was published in the journal 'The Beagle' and is provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Modeling tidal influence on lagoon water chemistry based on the described 4.75 m semi-diurnal tide.
• Analyzing seasonal variations in sea surface temperature based on the 25.48°C to 30.2°C range mentioned.
• Investigating freshwater lens dynamics based on the described pumping of up to 150,000 liters per year from West Island.
• Correlating water salinity and pH with biodiversity patterns, as suggested by the study's objective.

Strengths

• Contains long-term observational data, with records from 1991 and an intensive program since 1999.
• Includes specific, measured ranges for key parameters like temperature (25.48°C to 34.5°C) and salinity (0.03 to 39.6).
• Covers multiple water sources: regional oceanic, lagoonal, and well water.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The primary source is a print-only journal ('The Beagle'), which may limit immediate data accessibility.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Field observations and satellite-derived measurements, as described.

Time Range

1991 to present, with intensive monitoring from 1999.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 21:46:44.017426; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Ashmore Reef, North-west Shelf, Australia