Research Publication No. 13

The Fringing Reefs of Magnetic Island: Benthic Biota and Sedimentation - A Baseline Study

B.D. Mapstone, J.H. Cheat,
R.L. Cumming and W.C. Oxley
James Cook University of North Queensland,
Department of Marine Biology, Quantitative Ecology Division
Townsville, Queensland 4810
March 1989
A REPORT TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY

COVER PAGE & VERSO [Adobe Acrobat Format 77.87KB ]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY [Adobe Acrobat Format 153.91KB ]
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Conclusions & Recommendations
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & PREAMBLE [Adobe Acrobat Format 68.95KB ]
CONTENTS [Adobe Acrobat Format 181.59KB]
OVERVIEW [Adobe Acrobat Format 82.52KB ]
INTRODUCTION [Adobe Acrobat Format 1336.97KB]
MATERIALS AND METHODS [Adobe Acrobat Format 193.86KB]
- Sampling Design
- Field Work
  - Benthic Fauna and Flora
    - Percentage Cover by Sessile Organisms
    - Biomass of Algae
    - Tagged Corals
    - Demersal Fish
  - Sedimentation
    - Relation Between Turbidity and Sedimentation
  - Timetable
- Analysis of Data
  - Benthic Cover
    - Multi-variate Descriptive Analyses
    - Univariate Analyses
  - Algal Biomass and Sedimentation
RESULTS [Adobe Acrobat Format 2069.49KB]
- Benthic Fauna and Flora
  - Transect Length
  - Structure of Fringing Reefs in Profile
    - Classification of Sites from Profile Surveys
    - Classification of Profiles by Habitat
  - Classification of Sites from all Bays
    - Classification of Sites by Habitat
    - Classification of Sites by Bay
    - Summary
  - Analyses of Abundance
    - Hard Corals
      - All Hard Corals
      - Acroporidae, Pocilloporidae
      - Acropora willisae
      - Montipora spp.
      - Poritidae
      - Faviidae
      - Cyphastrea spp.
      - Fungiidae, Agariciidae, Siderastreidae, Pectiniidae, and Mussidae
      - Turbinaria spp.
    - Soft Corals
    - Sponges
    - Percent Coverage by Algae
      - sargassum spp.
      - Lobophora spp.
  - Biomass of Algae
- Rates of Sedimentation
- Relation Between Turbidity and Sedimentation
DISCUSSION [Adobe Acrobat Format 1069.89KB]
- Benthic Biota
- Assessment of Impact on Corals
- Assessment of Impact on Algae
- Sedimentation
- Instantaneous Measures of Sedimentation
SUMMARY [Adobe Acrobat Format 120.14KB]
ADDENDUM: RESPONSE TO REVIEWERS’ COMMENTS [Adobe Acrobat Format 2208.79KB]
- Anova Models
- Attributes of Reefs - Analyses of Size-frequency and ‘Runs’
- Attributes of Reefs - Quality of Reefs
- Qualitative Evaluation of Assemblages
  - Nelly Bay
  - Bright Point
  - Geoffrey Bay
  - Florence Bay and Arthur Bay
  - Picnic Bay
- Pooling of Taxa
- Status of Nelly Bay
- Suitability of Control Stations
- Assumptions of Proposed Analysis of Proportional Change
- Sedimentation
- Answers to Specific Comments
COMMENTS BY THE GBRMPA AND REVIEWERS [Adobe Acrobat Format 3728.77KB]
- The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  - Report Structure
  - Anova Models
  - Attributes
  - Evaluation of Nelly Bay
  - Cluster Analysis
  - Comparative Abundances
  - Sedimentation Levels
  - Pooling of Taxa
  - Preconstruction Monitoring
  - Reactive Monitoring Strategy
  - Proposed Monitoring Programme
    - Sampling of Sediment Traps
    - Experimental Study Payment by Developer
- Reviewer 1
  - Baseline Study for Impact Assessment
    - Control vs Impact
    - Attributes
  - Evaluation of Nelly Bay Reef
  - Conclusion
  - Specific Comments
- Reviewer 2
  - Introduction
  - The Degree to which the Aims of the Baseline Study
  - Have Been Fulfilled
  - General Remarks
    - Critical Level of Sedimentation
    - Pooling of Taxa
    - Tagged Corals
    - Guidelines
    - The Emphasis on Statistics
    - Details of Report Presentation
APPENDICES [Adobe Acrobat Format 1088.55KB]
1. Results of Analyses of Variance
2. Review of Effects of Sedimentation on Corals
3. Outline of Design for Impact Assessment
REFERENCES [Adobe Acrobat Format 314.65KB]