CReefs Australia - Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef

The CReefs Australia project is a collection of a variety of taxa from three locations: Ningaloo Reefs in Western Australia, and Heron and Lizard Islands off the coast of Queensland (separate metadata records are kept for each location) between 2008 and 2010. Sampling was conducted by scuba, snorkel and beach collection.In 2008, Heron Island collections were carried out between 25 August and 14 September.In 2009, Heron Island collections were carried out during 10-30 November.Variables in the dataset are: longitude and latitude, date, identifications (to genus species where possible), depth, coral reef zone, and other habitat indicators.Species collected come from the following taxonomic groups:Algae and seagrasses (phyla Chlorophyta, Ochrophyta, Rhodophyta, Magnoliophyta and Cyanobacteria)Arthropoda - Amphipods (Order: Amphipoda), Isopods (Order: Isopoda), Tanaids (Order Tanaidacea), CrustaceaBryozoans (Order Cheilostomata)Echinoderms (Phylum: Echinodermata)MolluscaPlatyhelminthaPolychates (Phylum: Annelida)SipunculaCollection was mainly by hand; some samples were obtained by traps, grabs, sediment pumps, hook and line, speargun.
To conduct a taxonomic survey of Ningaloo Reef as part of the CReefs Australia project to better refine understanding of the marine biodiversity on the coral reefs of the east and west coasts of Australia.
A subset of the data has been provided to the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS, http://iobis.org/OBISWEB/DisplayMetaData.jsp?content=maps_and_metadata/1467.html).Identifications were made as follows:Annelidia, Order: Polycheata (Gavin Martin Dally)Algae and seagrasses, phyla Chlorophyta, Magnoliophyta, Ochrophyta, Rhodophyta (Fred Gurgel, Rainbo Rita Mae Dixon)Bryozoa, Order Cheilostomata (Phil Bock)Cnideria, Order Anthozoa (Merrick Ekins, Monika Schlacher, Patricia Hendriks)Echinodermata (Ashley Miskelly)