Water quality teams take discrete water profile samples year-round. In the wet season three dimensional extent and duration of flood plumes is interpreted from satellite imagery and validated by in situ sampling. Sampling follows transects extending from rivers chosen according to flow characteristics in a particular year.
Light, temperature, salinity and turbidity are also collected at many of the monitoring sites, and are combined with climate data from other sources including remote sensing information.
Seagrass meadow intertidal sites are examined using 33 quadrats (50 cm × 50 cm), placed every five metres along 50 metre transects, placed 25 metres apart.
The sampling for subtidal sites is conducted along 50-metre transects two–three metres apart (aligned along the depth contour). Drop-cameras are deployed within a 50 metre radius of permanent waypoints, using vertical drops and the footage recorded for post-field analysis. A van Veen grab is used to confirm seagrass taxonomy and sediment type.
Within the meadow canopy, light and temperature are also collected using autonomous instruments.
Monitoring occurs at sites in the late dry season (September-November) and late wet season (March/April) each year.
Inshore coral sites are monitored using three separate sampling methods, conducted along fixed transects.
- photo point intercepts - digital photographs are taken at 50-centrementre intervals along 20-metre transects. Cover of benthic community components is estimated from the images.
- juvenile coral surveys - coral colonies less than 10 centimetres in diameter are counted
- scuba search transects - a search is made of a two-metre wide belt (one metre either side of the transect midline) for any recent scars, bleaching, disease or damage to coral colonies.
Most monitoring occurs between May-July. This allows the bulk of influences from summer disturbances, such as cyclones and bleaching events, to be realised.
