The distribution of coral communities across the central Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea

During 1980 -1981, the coral communities on 2 inner-shelf reefs (Pandora Reef and Phillips Reef), 3 mid-shelf reefs (Rib Reef, John Brewer Reef and Lodestone Reef), 3 outer-shelf reefs (Myrmidon Reef, Dip Reef and Bowl Reef) and 2 Coral Sea reefs (South West Flinders Reef and South Flinders Reef) were surveyed. These reefs were located approximately 10, 50, 100 and 200 km offshore along a transect across the central Great Barrier Reef into the Coral Sea.At each reef, transects which crossed all major habitats to a depth of 30m, were identified using aerial photographs and manta tow. Survey sites, covering an area of 100-500 m², were chosen along each transect where visible differences in reef topography were observed.At each site a checklist of corals (including Scleractinia, the non-scleractinian genera Millepora and Tubipora musica (Alcyonaria)) was compiled and each species assigned a score based on estimates of its relative percentage cover. Estimates were also made of the total hard and soft coral cover. Depth, slope, substratum and general topography were recorded.For each reef, the reef type, depth of the adjacent sea, gradient of the reef slope, depth of the lagoon, height of incident waves, water transparency and sediment type were recorded.
This research was undertaken to describe large scale patterns in the distribution of coral communities across the continental shelf in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef and into the Coral Sea. Factors considered included the hydrodynamic regime, water transparency and position of reefs on the onshore-offshore transect.