Coral reef habitats

Coral reef habitats are recovering from multiple short-term disturbances. Predicted increases in frequency and severity of disturbances will likely reduce the capacity for coral reefs to recover.

• Macroalgae, nutrients and phase shifts on coral reefs
• The importance of topographic and trophic complexity to reef nutrient dynamics
• Coral community adaptability 
• Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients
• State of the Great Barrier Reef: corals [2.5Mb]
• The fate of bleached corals: patterns and dynamics of algal recruitment 
• Doom and boom on a resilient reef: climate change, algal overgrowth and coral recovery
• Reef recovery following crown-of-thorns starfish:
• Wheeler reef 
• John Brewer reef 
• Reef recovery following other disturbances:
• Low Isles 
• Middle reef 
• Decadal changes in turbid-water coral communities at Pandora Reef: loss of resilience or too soon to tell?
• Decadal trends in a coral community and evidence of changed disturbance regime
• Recovery of coral reefs after crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks
• Recovery of corals after cyclones [0.4MB]
• Recovery and recolonisation of coral reefs 
• Coral reef recovery on Guam after Acanthaster (COTS) predation
• Disturbance and recovery of coral assemblages

Lagoon floor habitats

Some lagoon floor habitats previously at risk are recovering from disturbances. Full recovery will take decades.

• Seabed invertebrate biodiversity
• Recovery of seabed biota after trawling
• Protection of seabed species and habitats

Black teatfish (beche-de-mer)

Populations of black teatfish are low and are not recovering.

• Black teatfish (beche-de-mer) fishery 
• Stock size, recruitment and gene flow in black teatfish (beche-de-mer)
• Beche de mer fishery in the Great Barrier Reef
• Recovery of black teatfish (beche de mer) 
• See also Assessment of commercial and non-commercial use: fishing

Coral trout

The number and size of coral trout is increasing rapidly in zones closed to fishing.

• Coral trout fishery 
• Coral trout movements
• Larval retention and connectivity among populations of corals and reef fishes: history advances and challenges
• Changing markets for coral trout[0.62Mb] 
• Fish spawning aggregation protection
• Rapid increase in fish numbers follow the creation of the world's largest marine reserve network
• Coral trout batch fecundity

Loggerhead turtles

Trawl turtle excluder devices have arrested the decline in loggerhead turtles but other pressures will influence their recovery.

• Biological review of Australian marine turtle species: Loggerhad turtle
• The loggerhead turtle in Queensland: population structure in a warm temperate feeding area
• Incorporating turtle habitats into Marine Protected Area design for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
• Eastern Australian loggerhead turtle population status
• Vulnerability of marine reptiles in the Great Barrier Reef to climate change
• Recovery of loggerhead turtles in Queensland
• Effectiveness of Turtle Excluder Devices in the East Coast Trawl fishery  

Urban coast dugongs

The urban coast dugong population may take more than a century to recover and is subject to many continuing pressures.

• Historical over fishing
• Historical population estimates for dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef
• Death of dugongs from boat strike and other human activities
• Life history, pattern of breeding and population dynamics of the dugong
• Incorporating dugong habitats into marine protected area design for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
• Aerial Surveys for dugongs in the Southern Great Barrier Reef
• Water quality issues influencing habitat quality in Dugong Protection Areas
• Seagrass recolonisation after disturbance
• Dugong history of commercial hunting and status  

Humpback whales

Humpback whales appear to be recovering at their maximum population growth rate 45 years after whaling stopped.

• Population increase of Humpback whales along the Eastern Australian coast
• Humpback whale Australian east coast relative and absolute abundances
• East Coast Australian Humpback Whale Population Estimate - 2007 Survey
• East Coast Australian Humpback Whale Population Study - 1978 to 1982 Surveys
• Status of Recovering Stock of Humpback whales in Eastern Australian Waters - 1983 to 1987 Surveys
• Status of Humpback Whales in Eastern Australia thirty years after whaling - 1984 to 1992 Surveys
• Status of Humpback Whales in Eastern Australia at the end of the 20th Century - 1994 to 1999 Surveys
• Continued Increase in East Australian Humpback Whales in 2001 and 2002

Others

• Recovery of seagrass after cyclones at Cockel Bay
• Mangrove forests: Resilience, protection from tsunamis, and responses to global climate change