GBR - Hard coral biodiversity surveys of the Great Barrier Reef - Spatial interpolation - 1994 - 2001 (MTSRF 1.1.5, AIMS)

The purpose of this study was to quantify patterns in scleractinian biodiversity, and in the cover of the main benthos groups, on the Great Barrier Reef. Taxonomic surveys of hard corals conducted on 110 reefs (599 transects) of the GBR between 1994 and 2001. Surveys are based on rapid ecological assessments (taxonomic inventories based on swim surveys) conducted at two depth zones (deep and shallow), typically at two sites per reef. The data are abundance estimates of each species. Richness is calculated based on reef-averaged data.

The data set also contains visual estimates of the cover of the main benthos groups such as hard corals, soft corals, macroalgae and crustose coralline algae.

As part of the Reef Atlas project (now the eAtlas) the coral observations were interpolated over the whole GBR by Glenn De'ath using Generalized Additive Models with a Quasipoisson fit. This produced a gridded version of the dataset and is available as a KML and ASCII Grid file (WGS84).

Data Units:
- Abundance estimates of each species: 6-point rating (absent, rare, uncommon, common, abundant, dominant);
- Richness: number of species per reef;
- Cover of benthos groups: 6-point rating: 0 = none recorded; 1 = 1–10; 2 = 11–30; 3 = 31–50; 4 = 51–75; 5 = 76–100

References:
- Devantier LM, De'ath G, Done TJ, Turak E (1998). Ecological assessment of a complex natural system: A case study from the Great Barrier Reef. Ecological Applications, 8, 480-496
- Fabricius KE, De’ath G, McCook L, Turak E & Williams DMc (2005) Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Marine Pollution Bulletin 51: 384–398
- Devantier L, De'ath G, Done T, Turak E, Fabricius K (2006) Species richness and community structure of reef-building corals on the nearshore Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 25:329-340

本研究旨在量化大堡礁（Great Barrier Reef）石珊瑚（scleractinian）生物多样性的分布格局，以及主要底栖生物（benthos）类群的盖度特征。1994年至2001年间，研究团队针对大堡礁的110个礁体（共599条样带）开展了硬珊瑚（hard corals）分类学调查。本调查基于快速生态评估（rapid ecological assessments，即通过游泳普查开展的分类学编目工作），在两个深度带（深水带与浅水带）开展，通常每个礁体设置两个调查点位。数据内容为各物种的丰度估测值，物种丰富度则基于礁体平均数据计算得到。

本数据集同时涵盖了主要底栖生物类群盖度的目视估测结果，包括硬珊瑚、软珊瑚、大型藻类以及结壳珊瑚藻（crustose coralline algae）。

作为珊瑚礁地图集项目（Reef Atlas project，现已更名为eAtlas）的一部分，Glenn De'ath使用采用拟泊松（Quasipoisson）拟合的广义可加模型（Generalized Additive Models）对整个大堡礁的珊瑚观测数据进行了空间插值，生成了该数据集的网格化版本，可通过KML与ASCII Grid文件（WGS84坐标系）获取。

数据单位说明：
- 各物种丰度估测值：采用6级评分制（无记录、罕见、少见、常见、丰富、优势种）；
- 物种丰富度：单个礁体的物种数量；
- 底栖生物类群盖度：采用6级评分制，具体对应关系为：0 = 未记录该类群；1 = 1%~10%；2 = 11%~30%；3 = 31%~50%；4 = 51%~75%；5 = 76%~100%

参考文献：
1. Devantier LM, De'ath G, Done TJ, Turak E (1998). 复杂自然系统的生态评估：以大堡礁为例. 生态应用（Ecological Applications）, 8, 480-496
2. Fabricius KE, De’ath G, McCook L, Turak E & Williams DMc (2005). 近岸大堡礁沿水质梯度分布的藻类、珊瑚与鱼类群落变化. 海洋污染公报（Marine Pollution Bulletin）51: 384–398
3. Devantier L, De'ath G, Done T, Turak E, Fabricius K (2006). 近岸大堡礁造礁珊瑚的物种丰富度与群落结构. 珊瑚礁（Coral Reefs）25:329-340