AIMS - LTM Nearshore Corals (OBIS Australia)

Surveys of coral species richness were carried out at nearshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia in conjunction with surveys of size structure and percentage cover of hard and soft coral communities. Species lists (Presence / Absence) were compiled at 2m and 5m below datum at two sites on 33 reefs between Mackay and Cooktown (latitude 16-23 degrees South) in 2004. The aim of the study was to document the status of nearshore coral communities in this region to serve both as a baseline against which future change could be compared and also identify communities potentially at risk from anthropogenic activities. Hard corals were identified to species level (although on occasion identification was limited to genus) and soft corals were identified to genus.