Comparative marine biodiversity survey of the Rowley Shoals

A major marine biodiversity survey of the Rowley Shoals, led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science in collaboration with the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation, was undertaken from 1-17 December 2007. The multidisciplinary survey aimed to collect data that could directly inform management of the Rowley Shoals Marine Park and the Mermaid Reef National Marine Nature Reserve. Three major research projects:
* quantitative estimate/description of the condition of benthic communities of the Rowley Shoals by resurveying long-term benthic monitoring sites, and by quantifying the reefs' algal and soft coral biodiversity.
* Quantitative survey of stocks of commercially important invertebrates holothurians, Trochus and giant clams.
* Reef shark habitat use through acoustic tagging.

2007年12月1日至17日，由澳大利亚海洋科学研究所（Australian Institute of Marine Science）联合西澳大利亚州环境与保护部（Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation）主导开展了针对罗利沙洲（Rowley Shoals）的大型海洋生物多样性调查。本次多学科调查旨在收集可直接支撑罗利沙洲海洋公园与美人鱼礁国家海洋自然保护区（Mermaid Reef National Marine Nature Reserve）管理决策的数据。调查包含三项核心研究课题：
* 通过复勘长期底栖生物监测点位，并量化该礁体的藻类与软珊瑚生物多样性，对罗利沙洲底栖群落的健康状况进行定量评估与描述；
* 对具有商业开发价值的无脊椎动物类群——海参类（holothurians）、马蹄螺（Trochus）与砗磲（giant clams）——开展种群储量定量调查；
* 通过声学标记技术研究礁区鲨鱼的栖息地利用模式。