Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) of fringing reefs in the Whitsunday Management Area, Great Barrier Reef

A rapid assessment technique was chosen to survey fringing reefs at 40 locations within the Whitsunday Management Area between August 1994 and May 1995. At each location, surveys were conducted over two depth ranges; 0-3 m below the reef crest and 4-8 m below the reef crest. Data were recorded while swimming down current from haphazardly chosen starting points using SCUBA. Each survey took between 30-60 minutes and covered distances between 100-600m. The start and end points of each survey were recorded with a portable GPS. At the end of each swim, percentage cover categories were assigned to a set of ecological and substrate attributes. Each reef was also classified in terms of reef development.A inventory of benthic taxa was compiled during each survey. Taxa were identified in situ. Hard corals were identified to species where possible, otherwise genus and lifeform. Soft corals and conspicuous macroalage were identified to genus. Other taxa (including sponges, zoanthids, ascidians, bryozoans) were identified to a higher taxonomic level, usually to phylum and growth form. At the end of each survey, the inventory was reviewed and each taxon was categorized in terms of its relative abundance in the community. This research was undertaken to collect ecological information on the fringing reefs within the Whitsunday Management Area to enable an assessment to be made of the conservation values of the coral reefs within the area. The reefs surveyed were Armit Island, Border Island (2 locations), Champagne Bay, Deloraine Island (2 locations), Dent Island, Double Cone Island (2 locations), Dumbell Island, Eshelby Island (2 locations), Esk Island, Gloucester Island (3 locations), Gumbrell Island, Henning Island, Hideway Bay, Hook Island (2 locations) Little Armit Island, Little Grassy Island, Lupton Island, Middle Island, Olden Island (2 locations), Pelican Island (2 locations), Rattray Island, Teague Island and Whitsunday Island (9 locations).

本研究于1994年8月至1995年5月期间，采用快速评估技术对圣灵岛管理区（Whitsunday Management Area）内40个点位的岸礁（fringing reefs）开展调查。每个点位均设置两组调查水深范围：礁冠下方0~3米与4~8米。调查人员采用水肺潜水（SCUBA）装备，从随机选取的起始点顺流游动，同步记录数据。单次调查时长为30~60分钟，覆盖行进距离100~600米。使用便携式全球定位系统（GPS）记录每次调查的起始与终止点位。每次游动调查结束后，针对一系列生态与底质属性赋值覆盖百分比类别。同时依据礁体发育程度对各岸礁进行分类。
每次调查期间均构建底栖生物类群（benthic taxa）编目清单，类群鉴定均在原位完成。硬珊瑚尽可能鉴定至物种水平，若无法实现则鉴定至属及生活型；软珊瑚与显眼的大型藻类（macroalgae）均鉴定至属水平。其余类群（包括海绵、鞘珊瑚、被囊动物、苔藓虫）则鉴定至更高分类阶元，通常为门及生长型。每次调查结束后，对编目清单进行复核，并依据各类群在群落中的相对丰度进行分类。
本研究旨在收集圣灵岛管理区岸礁的生态数据，以评估该区域珊瑚礁的保护价值。本次调查涉及的礁体包括：阿米特岛、博德岛（2个点位）、香槟湾、德洛兰岛（2个点位）、登特岛、双锥岛（2个点位）、哑铃岛、埃斯尔比岛（2个点位）、埃斯克岛、格洛斯特岛（3个点位）、冈布雷尔岛、亨宁岛、隐藏湾、胡克岛（2个点位）、小阿米特岛、小草地岛、勒普顿岛、中岛、奥尔登岛（2个点位）、鹈鹕岛（2个点位）、拉特里岛、蒂格岛以及圣灵岛（9个点位）。