Benthic cover and fish density on fringing reefs of inshore island groups of the GBR, 1999 – 2014 (NERP 8.2, JCU)

This dataset consists of site and zone means of the percent cover of major benthic categories and the density of fish functional groups on fringing coral reefs of the Keppel, Whitsunday and Palm Island groups, as a result of monitoring surveys carried out between 1999 and 2014. \r\n\r\nThis data extract summarises the results of a long-term monitoring project that assesses the effects of no-take marine reserve zoning in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. \r\n\r\nSpatial zoning for multiple-use is the cornerstone of management for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP). Multiple-use zoning was first implemented widely in the GBRMP in the late 1980’s and this original zoning plan was in place until 2004, when the marine park was completely rezoned under the Representative Areas Program (RAP). The overall proportion of the marine park area assigned into NTRs was increased from around 5% (~ 25% of the coral reefs) to 33.4%. The need to objectively assess the ecological consequences of zoning management has attracted an increasing amount of research effort in recent years. Critical knowledge gaps still remain however, and research is required to determine how and to what extent NTR networks may help to protect biodiversity, sustain stocks of fished species and increase ecosystem resilience. \r\n\r\nThis project was established in 1999 and expanded in 2004, with the primary objective of providing a robust assessment of the ecological effects of multiple-use zoning on inshore coral reefs of the GBRMP. The project uses underwater visual census (UVC) to provide a spatially and temporally replicated assessment of fish and benthic communities and will include concurrent surveys of coral health within no-take (Green) and fished (Blue) zones on high-use inshore reefs. It is one of the few long-term monitoring projects specifically assessing the effects of zoning management within the GBRMP and the only one with a solid baseline data set that was established prior to the implementation of the 2004 zoning management plan.\r\n\r\n\r\nMethods:\r\n\r\nUnderwater visual census (UVC) was used to survey reef fish and benthic communities on fringing coral reefs of the Palm, Magnetic, Whitsunday and Keppel Island groups. Within each island group, sites are evenly distributed between zones that have remained open to fishing (General Use and Conservation Park zones), NTRs that were closed to fishing in 1987, and NTRs that were established in 2004 (Marine National Park zones).\r\n\r\nWithin each site UVC surveys were conducted using 5 replicate transects (50m x 6m, 300m2 survey area). Transects were deployed on the reef slope between approximately 4 and 12 metres depth. Using SCUBA, two observers recorded approximately 190 species of fish from 15 Families (Acanthuridae, Balistidae, Chaetodontidae, Haemulidae, Labridae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae, Mullidae, Nemipteridae, Pomacanthidae, Pomacentridae, Scaridae, Serranidae, Siganidae and Zanclidae). A third diver (observer 3) swam directly behind observers one and two, deploying the transect tapes. This UVC technique reduces diver avoidance or attraction behaviour of the surveyed fish species. To increase accuracy of the fish counts, the species list was divided between the two fish observers. Observer one surveyed the fish families Haemulidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae, Mullidae, Nemipteridae, Serranidae and the larger species of Labridae targeted by fishers. Observer two surveyed the families Acanthuridae, Balistidae, Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae, Pomacentridae, Scaridae, Siganidae, Zanclidae and small ‘non-targeted’ species of Labridae. Pomacentrids and small labrids were recorded by observer two during return transect swims within a 2m band (1m either side of the tape, 100m2 survey area). \r\n\r\nBroad-scale structural complexity of the reef habitat was estimated by observer one using a simple method that applied a rank (1-5) to both the angle of the reef slope and the rugosity for each ten-metre section of each transect. Observer three utilised a line intercept survey method to record a benthic point sample every metre along each transect tape (50 samples per transect).Benthos sampled in the benthic survey was live and dead hard coral within morphological categories (branching, plate, solitary, tabular, massive, foliose, encrusting) live soft coral, sponges, clams (Tridacna spp.), other invertebrates (such as ascidians and anemones), macro-algae, coral reef pavement, rock, rubble and sand.\r\n\r\n\r\nLimitations:\r\n\r\nNot all island groups could be surveyed in each year, usually due to funding limitations and unpredictable weather events.\r\n\r\n\r\nFormat:\r\n\r\nThe data are contained within two worksheets of an Excel file (215 kB). All benthic data is in % cover, and fish data are in density (individuals per 1000 m2). The first worksheet shows the data averaged for each site, and the second worksheet has average values for each zone (Fished, NTR 1987 and NTR 2004).\r\n\r\n\r\nData Dictionary:\r\n\r\nNames in rounded brackets () are the matching names in the shapefile. This was done to meet the 10 character limitation of this format.\r\n\r\n- SE - Standard Error\r\n- mean - Mean over the transects at a site.\r\n- Total Fish Densit_mean (TFishDenMn)\r\n- Total Fish Densit_SE (TFishDenSE)\r\n- Fish Species richness_mean (FishRichMn)\r\n- Fish Species richness_SE (FishRichSE)\r\n- Fishery Target Spp_mean (FishTargMn) - Pooled group of fish species designated as 'Primary target’ in the species list file. \r\n- Fishery Target Spp_SE (FishTargSE)\r\n- Grazers_mean (GrazersMn) - Pooled group of fish species listed as ‘grazers’ in the species list\r\n- Grazers_SE (GrazersSE)\r\n- Corallivores_mean (CorallivMn)\r\n- Coraliivores_SE (CorallivSE)\r\n- Planktivores_mean (PlanktivMn)\r\n- Planktivores_SE (PlanktivSE)\r\n- Territorial Pomacentrids_mean (TerrPomaMn)\r\n- Territorial Pomacentrids_SE (TerrPomaSE)\r\n- Plectropomus spp_mean (PlectSppMn)\r\n- Plectropomus spp_SE (PlectSppSE)\r\n- SCI_mean - Structural complexity Index.. An index (1-25) calculated by multiplying our visual estimates of reef slope angle (1-5) by reef slope rugosity (Complexity 1-5). These values are estimated for each 10m section of each 50m transect. 5 transects per site = 25 SCI estimates per site. The e-atlas data we have provided is site means… i.e.. the mean of those 25 values. \r\n- LCC - Live coral cover (percent cover), live hard and soft coral pooled.\r\n- LHC - Live hard coral cover (%), live hard coral only. \r\n- MAC - Macro Algae Cover % (fleshy algas only, does not include turf algae)\r\n- Fish Line_SUM - is the pooled number of lines recorded on the 5 transects surveyed at each site. = total number of lines/1500m2.\r\n- Line Accumulation Rate - number of lines accumulated per month.\r\n\r\n\r\nReferences:\r\n\r\n1.\tWilliamson D.H., Ceccarelli D.M., Evans, R.D., Jones, G.P., Russ, G.R. (2014). Habitat dynamics, marine reserve status, and the decline and recovery of coral reef fish communities. Ecology & Evolution 4: 337-354.\r\n\r\n2.\tHassell N.S., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Russ G.R. (2013). Reliability of non-expert observer estimates of the magnitude of marine reserve effects. Coastal Management 41(4): 361-380.\r\n\r\n3.\tWen C.K., Almany G.R., Williamson D.H., Pratchett M.S., Mannering T.D., Evans R.D., Leis J.M., Srinivasan M., Jones G.P. (2013). Recruitment hotspots boost the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves. Biological Conservation 166: 124-131.\r\n\r\n4.\tWen C.K., Almany G.R., Williamson D.H., Pratchett M.S., Jones G.P. (2012). Evaluating the effects of marine reserves on diet, prey availability and prey selection by juvenile predatory fishes. Marine Ecology Progress Series 469: 133-144.\r\n\r\n5.\tHarrison H.B., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Almany G.R., Thorrold S.R., Russ G.R., Feldheim K.A., van Herwerden L., Planes S., Srinivasan M., Berumen M.L., Jones G.P. (2012). Larval Export From Marine Reserves and the Recruitment Benefit for Fish and Fisheries. Current Biology 22: 1023-1028.\r\n\r\n6.\tCeccarelli D.M., Williamson D.H. (2012). Sharks that eat sharks: Opportunistic predation by wobbegongs. Coral Reefs 31: 471.\r\n\r\n7.\tMcCook L.J., Ayling A.M., Cappo M., Choat J.H., Evans R.D., De Freitas D.M., Heupel M., Hughes T.P., Jones G.P., Mapstone B., Marsh H., Mills M., Molloy F., Pitcher C.R., Pressey R.L., Russ G.R., Sutton S., Sweatman H., Tobin R., Wachenfeld D.R., Williamson D.H. (2010). Adaptive management of the Great Barrier Reef: A globally significant demonstration of the benefits of networks of marine reserves. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) 107: 18278-18285.\r\n\r\n8.\tDiaz-Pulido G., McCook L.J., Dove S., Berkelmans R., Roff G., Kline D.I., Weeks S., Evans R., Williamson D.H., Hoegh-Guldberg O. (2009). Doom and Boom on a Resilient Reef: Climate Change, Algal Overgrowth and Coral Recovery. PLoS ONE 4: e5239. \r\n\r\n9.\tChin A., Sweatman H., Forbes S., Perks H., Walker R., Jones G.P., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Hartley F., Armstrong S., Malcolm H., Edgar G.J. (2008). Status of coral reefs in Australia and Papua New Guinea. In: Status of the coral reefs of the world: 2008 (ed. Wilkinson, C.), Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, 296pp.\r\n\r\n10.\tRuss G.R., Cheal A.J., Dolman A.M., Emslie M.J., Evans R.D., Miller I., Sweatman H., Williamson D.H. (2008). Rapid increase in fish numbers follows creation of world's largest marine reserve network. Current Biology 18: 514-515. \r\n\r\n11.\tWilliamson D.H., Evans R.D., Russ G.R. (2006). Monitoring the ecological effects of management zoning: Initial surveys of reef fish and benthic communities on reefs in the Townsville and Cairns regions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Report to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) 67pp.\r\n\r\n12.\tWilliamson D.H., Russ G.R., Ayling A.M. (2004). No-take marine reserves increase abundance and biomass of reef fish on inshore fringing reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. Environmental Conservation 31: 149-159. \r\n\r\n13.\tDavis K.L.F., Russ G.R., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D. (2004). Surveillance and poaching on inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Coastal Management 32: 373-387.

本数据集收录了1999年至2014年间开展的监测调查结果，涵盖凯珀尔群岛（Keppel）、圣灵降临群岛（Whitsunday）与棕榈岛群（Palm Island）岸礁的主要底栖类群盖度百分比，以及鱼类功能群密度的样点均值与区域均值。

本数据提取文件汇总了一项长期监测项目的成果，该项目旨在评估大堡礁海洋公园（Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, GBRMP）内禁捕海洋保护区区划的实施效果。

多用途空间区划是大堡礁海洋公园（GBRMP）管理的核心基石。多用途区划于20世纪80年代末首次在GBRMP中大范围推行，这套初始区划方案沿用至2004年，当年大堡礁海洋公园依据《代表性区域规划（Representative Areas Program, RAP）》完成了全面重新区划。纳入禁捕区（No-Take Reserves, NTRs）的海洋公园总面积占比从约5%（约占珊瑚礁总面积的25%）提升至33.4%。近年来，学界对客观评估区划管理生态效应的需求日益增长，相关研究投入不断增加，但仍存在大量关键认知空白，亟需开展研究以明确禁捕区网络如何、以及在多大程度上能够助力生物多样性保护、维持捕捞物种种群规模，并提升生态系统恢复力。

本项目于1999年启动，2004年进行了扩展，核心目标是对GBRMP近岸珊瑚礁的多用途区划生态效应开展可靠评估。项目采用水下视觉普查（Underwater Visual Census, UVC）方法，对鱼类与底栖群落进行空间与时间重复采样评估，并同步对高利用度近岸礁的禁捕区（绿色区域）与捕捞区（蓝色区域）内的珊瑚健康状况开展调查。本项目是GBRMP内少数专门评估区划管理效应的长期监测项目之一，也是唯一一套在2004年区划管理方案实施前就已建立的可靠基线数据集对应的监测项目。

### 调查方法
研究采用水下视觉普查（UVC）方法，对棕榈岛、磁岛、圣灵降临群岛与凯珀尔群岛的岸礁鱼类及底栖群落开展调查。在每个群岛内部，样点均匀分布于三类区域：持续允许捕捞的区域（通用利用区与保护公园区）、1987年起禁捕的禁捕区，以及2004年设立的禁捕区（海洋国家公园区）。

每个样点的UVC调查采用5条重复样带（50m×6m，调查面积300㎡）开展。样带布设于礁坡，水深约4至12米。两名观察员借助水肺潜水，记录15个科的约190种鱼类，分别为刺尾鱼科（Acanthuridae）、鳞鲀科（Balistidae）、蝴蝶鱼科（Chaetodontidae）、石鲈科（Haemulidae）、隆头鱼科（Labridae）、裸颊鲷科（Lethrinidae）、笛鲷科（Lutjanidae）、羊鱼科（Mullidae）、金线鱼科（Nemipteridae）、盖刺鱼科（Pomacanthidae）、雀鲷科（Pomacentridae）、鹦嘴鱼科（Scaridae）、鮨科（Serranidae）、蓝子鱼科（Siganidae）及镰鱼科（Zanclidae）。第三名潜水员（观察员3）紧随观察员1与2之后，布设样带卷尺。该UVC技术可降低调查鱼类对潜水员的躲避或趋附行为。为提升鱼类计数的准确性，两名鱼类观察员按类群分工：观察员1负责记录石鲈科、裸颊鲷科、笛鲷科、羊鱼科、金线鱼科、鮨科，以及捕捞目标体型较大的隆头鱼科物种；观察员2负责记录刺尾鱼科、鳞鲀科、蝴蝶鱼科、盖刺鱼科、雀鲷科、鹦嘴鱼科、蓝子鱼科、镰鱼科，以及小型非目标隆头鱼科物种。观察员2在样带返程游动时，于2米宽范围（样带两侧各1米，调查面积100㎡）内记录雀鲷与小型隆头鱼。

观察员1采用简易方法估算礁栖生境的大范围结构复杂度：对每条样带每10米区段的礁坡角度与粗糙度分别赋予1-5的等级评分。观察员3采用样线拦截调查法，沿每条样带卷尺每1米采集1个底栖点位样本（每条样带采集50个样本）。本次底栖调查采样的底栖生物包括：形态分类下的活与死硬珊瑚（分枝状、平板状、单体状、桌形、块状、叶状、壳状）、活软珊瑚、海绵、砗磲（Tridacna spp.）、其他无脊椎动物（如被囊动物与海葵）、大型藻类、珊瑚礁坪、岩石、碎石与沙质沉积物。

### 局限性
受限于经费与不可预测的极端天气，并非每年都能对所有群岛开展调查。

### 数据格式
数据集存储于一个Excel文件的两张工作表中（文件大小215 KB）。所有底栖数据以盖度百分比形式呈现，鱼类数据以密度形式呈现（单位：个体/1000㎡）。第一张工作表展示每个样点的均值数据，第二张工作表则展示各区域（捕捞区、1987年设立的禁捕区与2004年设立的禁捕区）的均值数据。

### 数据字典
圆括号（）内的名称为对应形状文件中的匹配名称，此举是为适配该格式的10个字符长度限制。
- SE：标准误（Standard Error）
- mean：样点内所有样带的均值
- 总鱼类密度均值（Total Fish Density_mean, TFishDenMn）
- 总鱼类密度标准误（Total Fish Density_SE, TFishDenSE）
- 鱼类物种丰富度均值（Fish Species richness_mean, FishRichMn）
- 鱼类物种丰富度标准误（Fish Species richness_SE, FishRichSE）
- 捕捞目标物种均值（Fishery Target Spp_mean, FishTargMn）：物种列表文件中标记为“主要目标”的鱼类类群合并值
- 捕捞目标物种标准误（Fishery Target Spp_SE, FishTargSE）
- 植食者均值（Grazers_mean, GrazersMn）：物种列表中归类为“植食者”的鱼类类群合并值
- 植食者标准误（Grazers_SE, GrazersSE）
- 食珊瑚者均值（Corallivores_mean, CorallivMn）
- 食珊瑚者标准误（Corallivores_SE, CorallivSE）
- 浮游食者均值（Planktivores_mean, PlanktivMn）
- 浮游食者标准误（Planktivores_SE, PlanktivSE）
- 领域性雀鲷均值（Territorial Pomacentrids_mean, TerrPomaMn）
- 领域性雀鲷标准误（Territorial Pomacentrids_SE, TerrPomaSE）
- 侧带鲈属（Plectropomus）物种均值（Plectropomus spp_mean, PlectSppMn）
- 侧带鲈属物种标准误（Plectropomus spp_SE, PlectSppSE）
- SCI_mean：结构复杂度指数（Structural Complexity Index, SCI）。该指数取值范围为1-25，由礁坡角度视觉评分（1-5）与礁坡粗糙度评分（1-5）相乘得到。评分针对每条50米样带的每10米区段进行，每个样点布设5条样带，因此每个样点共获得25个SCI估值。本次提供的电子图集数据为样点均值，即这25个估值的平均值。
- LCC：活珊瑚盖度（百分比），为活硬珊瑚与活软珊瑚的盖度合并值
- LHC：活硬珊瑚盖度（百分比），仅包含活硬珊瑚
- MAC：大型藻类盖度（百分比），仅含肉质藻类，不包含藻席（turf algae）
- Fish Line_SUM：每个样点5条样带记录的样线总数合并值，即总样线数/1500㎡
- Line Accumulation Rate：月度累计样线数

### 参考文献
1. Williamson D.H., Ceccarelli D.M., Evans, R.D., Jones, G.P., Russ, G.R. (2014). 生境动态、海洋保护区状态与珊瑚礁鱼类群落的衰退与恢复. Ecology & Evolution 4: 337-354.
2. Hassell N.S., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Russ G.R. (2013). 非专业观察员对海洋保护区效应量级评估的可靠性. Coastal Management 41(4): 361-380.
3. Wen C.K., Almany G.R., Williamson D.H., Pratchett M.S., Mannering T.D., Evans R.D., Leis J.M., Srinivasan M., Jones G.P. (2013). 补充热点提升禁捕海洋保护区的有效性. Biological Conservation 166: 124-131.
4. Wen C.K., Almany G.R., Williamson D.H., Pratchett M.S., Jones G.P. (2012). 评估海洋保护区对幼年捕食鱼类食性、猎物可获得性与猎物选择的影响. Marine Ecology Progress Series 469: 133-144.
5. Harrison H.B., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Almany G.R., Thorrold S.R., Russ G.R., Feldheim K.A., van Herwerden L., Planes S., Srinivasan M., Berumen M.L., Jones G.P. (2012). 海洋保护区的幼体输出与鱼类及渔业的补充效益. Current Biology 22: 1023-1028.
6. Ceccarelli D.M., Williamson D.H. (2012). 食鲨的鲨鱼：斑须鲨的机会性捕食. Coral Reefs 31: 471.
7. McCook L.J., Ayling A.M., Cappo M., Choat J.H., Evans R.D., De Freitas D.M., Heupel M., Hughes T.P., Jones G.P., Mapstone B., Marsh H., Mills M., Molloy F., Pitcher C.R., Pressey R.L., Russ G.R., Sutton S., Sweatman H., Tobin R., Wachenfeld D.R., Williamson D.H. (2010). 大堡礁的适应性管理：全球范围内海洋保护区网络效益的重要示范. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) 107: 18278-18285.
8. Diaz-Pulido G., McCook L.J., Dove S., Berkelmans R., Roff G., Kline D.I., Weeks S., Evans R., Williamson D.H., Hoegh-Guldberg O. (2009). 具有恢复力的珊瑚礁上的盛衰：气候变化、藻类过度生长与珊瑚恢复. PLoS ONE 4: e5239.
9. Chin A., Sweatman H., Forbes S., Perks H., Walker R., Jones G.P., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Hartley F., Armstrong S., Malcolm H., Edgar G.J. (2008). 澳大利亚与巴布亚新几内亚的珊瑚礁现状. 收录于：《2008年全球珊瑚礁现状》（Wilkinson, C.编辑），全球珊瑚礁监测网络与珊瑚礁及雨林研究中心，汤斯维尔，296页.
10. Russ G.R., Cheal A.J., Dolman A.M., Emslie M.J., Evans R.D., Miller I., Sweatman H., Williamson D.H. (2008). 全球最大海洋保护区网络设立后鱼类数量的快速增长. Current Biology 18: 514-515.
11. Williamson D.H., Evans R.D., Russ G.R. (2006). 管理区划的生态效应监测：大堡礁海洋公园汤斯维尔与凯恩斯区域礁体的鱼类与底栖群落初始调查. 提交给大堡礁海洋公园管理局（Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, GBRMPA）的报告，67页.
12. Williamson D.H., Russ G.R., Ayling A.M. (2004). 禁捕海洋保护区提升大堡礁近岸岸礁鱼类的丰度与生物量. Environmental Conservation 31: 149-159.
13. Davis K.L.F., Russ G.R., Williamson D.H., Evans R.D. (2004). 大堡礁海洋公园近岸礁体的监视与偷捕行为. Coastal Management 32: 373-387.