Sweatman et. al., 2008:  

"The salient changes on the Great Barrier Reef over the fifteen years to 2007 reflect the impact of COTS and cyclones, and to a lesser extent bleaching and disease, on reef communities and their subsequent recovery from such disturbances. Based on the 2006 and 2007 survey years, the third recorded wave of COTS outbreaks appears to be abating. There have been few cyclones and limited bleaching, indicating a period of recovery and growth. The exception is the increased reports of coral disease, particularly in regions with high coral cover."

Broad scale manta-tow surveys (around the perimeter of reefs)

"The highest mean values for cover of living coral on the perimeter of reefs (henceforth: reef-wide live coral cover) that were surveyed in 2006 and 2007 were on reefs in the Capricorn Bunker sector (43 and 53% respectively). The recorded values for reef-wide live coral were higher (65% and 41% respectively) in the outer shelf region in the Pompey sector, but only one reef (Ben Reef) was surveyed.

Lowest values for reef-wide live coral cover (7% and 8%) in 2006 and 2007 were found on reefs in the Innisfail sector, where large COTS populations were recorded in the recent past as well as mass bleaching in 1998. Cover on inshore reefs in the Townsville sector was similarly low (8% in each year)."

Note: Figure generated from AIMS LTMP data. The figure does not appear in Sweatman et al., 2008.

Permanent survey sites (intensive surveys on permanent sites set up on northeast faces of 46 reefs)

"Surveys of permanent survey sites on northeast faces of 46 reefs in 2007 found that cover of hard coral was also highest in the Capricorn Bunker sector (55%) followed by reefs in the mid- shelf region on the Whitsunday sector (46%). These regions have been recovering from storm surge damage over the 15 years of intensive surveys.

Hard coral cover on permanent survey sites was lowest on the mid- shelf reefs of the Townsville sector (12%) in 2007. Many of these reefs had been affected by COTS outbreaks in previous years, though the number of active outbreaks in the subregion has declined.

Hard coral cover declined sharply on the permanent survey sites in the outer shelf region of the Cooktoown - Lizard Is. Sector. Coral cover increased initially from a low level following damage by storms in the late 1980s, reaching very high values in 2000. After a period of stability, coral cover has halved in the past two years. Dislodged corals suggest that this was partially due to storm damage, but it is also the cumulative effect of relatively high levels of coral disease. Reefs in the subregion are dominated by tabulate Acropora spp. and have had relatively high incidence of the coral disease white syndrome."

 Note: Figure generated from AIMS LTMP data. The figure does not appear in Sweatman et al., 2008. 

Citation and/or URL

Sweatman, H., Cheal, A.J., Coleman, G.J., Emslie, M.J., Johns, K., Jonker, M., Miller, I.R. & Osborne, K. 2008, Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef: status report, Australian Institute of Marine Science 8, Townsville, Australia

http://www.aims.gov.au/docs/research/monitoring/reef/reef-monitoring.html

Spatial Coverage

 All of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 

Temporal Coverage

Manta tow surveys: 1986 to present

Intensive coral reefs surveys: 1993 to present

Update Frequency

 Initially every year but every two years since 2005

Other Information

 None