Schaffelke, 2008:

"The density of colonies in the recruit size classes (<10cm) varied among NRM regions. Survey locations in the Mackay Whitsunday region and the Johnstone / Russell-Mulgrave and Herbert / Tully sub-regions (12.5 -14 colonies per square metre of available substrate) had significantly higher densities than the remaining NRM regions, where densities range from 6.4m^-2 on reefs in the Burdekin region to 6.0m^-2 in the Barron / Daintree sub-region. The densities varied significantly among reefs within each NRM region and although there was no consistent difference in density of recruits between sites at 2m and those at 5m, there was substantial variability between depths from reef to reef.

Comparing mean densities of recruit-sized colonies among reefs within regions found no strong relationship between recruit density and proximity to river. However, the lowest density of recruit-sized colonies in the Fitzroy region (Peak Island), Herbert / Tully subregion (Dunk Island South and King Reef), Johnstone / Russell-Mulgrave sub-region (western reefs of both High Island and Frankland Group) and the Barron / Daintree sub-region (Snapper Island South) in the Wet Tropics, were all on reefs that were close to river mouths."

 

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Citation and/or URL

Schaffelke, B., Thompson, A., Carleton, J., Cripps, E., Davidson, J., Doyle, J., Furnas, M., Gunn, K., Neale, S., Skuza, M., Uthicke, S., Wright, M. & Zagorskis, I. 2008, Water Quality and Ecosystem Monitoring Programme: Reef Water Quality Protection Plan: final report 2007/08, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia

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Spatial Coverage

Thirty five Inshore reefs from Cape Tribulation to the Keppel Islands.

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Temporal Coverage

Sampling started in 2004/05

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Update Frequency

 Every year 

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Other Information

 None