AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Video and Photo Transects (Great Barrier Reef)

Temporal Range: From 17-Jun-1992

Resource Summary

Benthic organisms were surveyed annually on fixed sites in one habitat on each of 47 selected core survey reefs from 1993 to 2005 in 6 regions throughout the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Surveys were undertaken at 3 sites per reef, with 5x50m transects surveyed per site.

In 2004 a new zoning plan was implemented in the Great Barrier reef Marine Park and in 2006 the pattern of surveys was changed. The original set of reefs (47) are surveyed in odd years (e.g. 2007) and a different set (56 reefs) are surveyed in even years. The new set consists of paired reefs (one no-take, and one open to fishing) surveyed to assess the effects of rezoning. The paired reefs are near Cairns and Innisfail, Townsville, Mackay, the Swain Reefs and the Capricorn-Brunker group.

From 1993 to 2006 video transects were recorded and sub-sampled at 200 points per sample. The program was modified in 2007 to allow collection of data from single frames shot at 1m intervals along each transect using a digital still camera.

Benthic groups recorded are: Abiotic; Hard coral; Soft coral; Coralline algae; Macro algae; Turf algae; Sponge; Other; Indeterminate.

To annually monitor the cover of benthic organisms, reef fish abundance and crown-of-thorns starfish populations on various reefs of the Great Barrier Reef.

The program has been designed to track changes in reef communities over time across sub-regions of the GBR.

Parameters: Percentage cover of different substrate types and benthic organisms (particularly corals), identified to benthic group or lifeform level. Data on reef fish abundance and diversity are collected at the same sites and times.

Constraints
Resource Usage:

The data is under exclusive access period. Contact the AIMS Data Centre (adc@aims.gov.au) for possible access to the data within this period.

Access Constraint: restricted
Use Constraint: restricted
Security classification code: unclassified


Cite this Record
Copy
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). 2015, AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Video and Photo Transects (Great Barrier Reef), https://doi.org/10.25845/5c09bc4ff315c, accessed 16-Jun-2019
General Links
AIMS long-term reef monitoring program
NERP TE Project 1.1 - Monitoring status and trends of coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef: NERP TE Project 1.1 - Monitoring status and trends of coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef
NERP TE Project 8.1 - Monitoring the ecological effects of GBR zoning plan on mid and outer shelf reefs: NERP TE Project 8.1 - Monitoring the ecological effects of GBR zoning plan on mid and outer shelf reefs
Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 8.1 project on the paired zoning reefs.: Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 8.1 project on the paired zoning reefs.
Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 1.1 project on the standard set of reefs.: Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 1.1 project on the standard set of reefs.
Related Information
The Australian Institute of Marine Science's Coral Reef Monitoring Programs on the Great Barrier Reef: Sweatman HPA (1999) The Australian Institute of Marine Science's Coral Reef Monitoring Programs on the Great Barrier Reef. pp. 225-238. In: Proceedings of the Hawai'i Coral Reef Monitoring Workshop, June 9-11, 1998, Honolulu, Hawai'i. Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 3: Sweatman HPA, Bass DK, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Miller IR, Ninio R, Osborne K, Oxley WG, Ryan DAJ, Thompson AA and Tomkins P (1998) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 3. LTM No. 3. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 303 p.
Similar regional effects among local habitats on the structure of tropical reef fish and coral communities: Burgess S, Osborne K and Caley MJ (2010) Similar regional effects among local habitats on the structure of tropical reef fish and coral communities. Global Ecology and Biogeography 19: 363-375.
Surveys of benthic reef communities using underwater video. Standard operational procedure No. 7 (rev): Page CM, Coleman GJ, Ninio R and Osborne K (2001) Surveys of benthic reef communities using underwater video. Standard operational procedure No. 7 (rev). SOP 7. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 45 p.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier reef, Status Report: Sweatman HPA, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Emslie MJ, Johns K, Jonker M, Miller IR and Osborne K (2008) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier reef, Status Report. 8. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 369 p.
Recovery from disturbance of coral and reef fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: Emslie MJ, Cheal AJ, Sweatman HPA and Delean S (2008) Recovery from disturbance of coral and reef fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 371: 177-190.
Responses of reef fish communities to coral declines on the Great Barrier Reef: Cheal AJ, Wilson SK, Emslie MJ, Dolman A and Sweatman HPA (2008) Responses of reef fish communities to coral declines on the Great Barrier Reef. Marine Ecology Progress Series 372: 211-223.
Temporal patterns in coral assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef from local to large spatial scales: Ninio R, Meekan MG, Done TJ and Sweatman HPA (2000) Temporal patterns in coral assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef from local to large spatial scales. Marine Ecology Progress Series 194: 65-74.
Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 7: Sweatman HPA, Burgess S, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Emslie MJ, McDonald A, Miller IR, Osborne K and Thompson AA (2005) Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 7. Australian Institute of Marine Science & CRC Reef Research Centre. 257 p.
Historical information on benthic communities of inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef: Thompson AA and Sweatman HPA (2004) Historical information on benthic communities of inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. p. 70. In: Haynes D and Schaffelke B (eds) Catchment to reef : water quality issues in the Great Barrier Reef Region. 9-11 March 2004, Townsville. Conference abstracts. CRC Reef Research Centre.
Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 6.: Sweatman HPA, Abdo D, Burgess S, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Emslie MJ, Miller IR, Osborne K, Oxley WG, Page CM, Thompson AA and Cheal AJ (2004) Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 6. Australian Institute of Marine Science. CD-ROM.
Resilience to large-scale disturbance in coral and fish assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef: Halford AR, Cheal AJ, Ryan DAJ and Williams DMcB (2004) Resilience to large-scale disturbance in coral and fish assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef. Ecology 85: 1892-1905.
Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 7: Abdo D, Burgess S, Coleman G and Osborne K (2004) Surveys of benthic reef communities using underwater video. Standard operational procedure No.2 3rd Revised Edition. SOP 2 (3rd rev ed). Australian Institute of Marine Science. 61 p.
Estimating cover of benthic organisms from underwater video images: variability associated with multiple observers: Ninio R, Delean S, Osborne K and Sweatman HPA (2003) Estimating cover of benthic organisms from underwater video images: variability associated with multiple observers. Marine Ecology Progress Series 265: 107-116.
Responses of coral and fish assemblages to a severe but short-lived tropical cyclone on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Miller IR, Osborne K and Sweatman HPA (2002) Responses of coral and fish assemblages to a severe but short-lived tropical cyclone on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Coral Reefs 21: 131-142.
Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef, Status Report Number 5: Sweatman HPA, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Fitzpatrick BM, Miller IR, Ninio R, Osborne K, Page CM and Thompson AA (2001) Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef, Status Report Number 5. LTM No.5. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 106 p.
The current status of sessile benthic organisms of the Great Barrier Reef: Osborne K, Ninio R and Sweatman HPA (1997) The current status of sessile benthic organisms of the Great Barrier Reef. pp. 124-133. In: Wachenfeld D, Oliver JK and Davis K (eds) State of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Workshop. Proceedings of a technical workshop held in Townsville, Queensland, Australia 27-29 November 1995. GBRMPA Workshop Series. 23. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 2: Sweatman HPA (1997) Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 2. LTM No.2. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 161 p.
Recovery of a fish community six years after a catastrophic mortality event: Halford AR (1997) Recovery of a fish community six years after a catastrophic mortality event. 1: 1011-1016. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium, Panama, 24-29 June 1996. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Surveys of sessile benthic communities using the video technique. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 2: Christie CA, Bass DK, Neale SJ, Osborne K and Oxley WG (1996) Surveys of sessile benthic communities using the video technique. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 2. SOP-2. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 41 p.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 1: Oliver JK, De'ath AG, Done TJ, Williams DMcB, Furnas MJ and Moran PJ (1995) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 1. LTM No.1. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 121 p.
Survey Manual for Tropical Marine Resources: English S, Wilkinson CR and Baker VJ (eds) (1994) Survey Manual for Tropical Marine Resources. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 368 p.
Great Barrier Reef butterflyfish community structure: the role of shelf position and benthic community type: Emslie MJ, Pratchett Ms, Cheal AJ and Osborne K (2010) Great Barrier Reef butterflyfish community structure: the role of shelf position and benthic community type. Coral Reefs 29: 705-715.
A guide to the reef monitoring database. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 5: Baker VJ and Coleman GJ (2000) A guide to the reef monitoring database. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 5. SOP 5. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 72 p.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 4: Sweatman HPA, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Fitzpatrick BM, Miller IR, Ninio R, Osborne K, Page CM, Ryan DAJ, Thompson AA and Tomkins P (2000) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 4. LTM No. 4. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 117 p.
Spatial patterns in benthic communities and the dynamics of a mosaic ecosystem on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: Ninio R and Meekan MG (2002) Spatial patterns in benthic communities and the dynamics of a mosaic ecosystem on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Coral Reefs 21: 95-104.
Additional Information
DOI10.25845/5c09bc4ff315c
Update FrequencyAs Needed
Collection StatusOn Going
Sampling Frequency
Credits
Sweatman, Hugh PA, Dr (Custodian)
Point of Contact
Data Manager, AIMS Long-term Monitoring Project
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
Source CatalogueAIMS Data Catalogue
Lineage
Statement: The original 52 reefs were reduced to 47 due to problems with regular access.

After 2005, reefs were surveyed in alternate years, alternating with a different set of reefs (but with some reefs in common) as part of the program to monitor the effects of rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Permanently marked transects are used. To eliminate confounding in data analyses due to
observer biases, transects from each reef are analysed by a group of observers. Training for new observers is given in effectively using the underwater camera gear and in identifying organisms.

Video transects were analysed using AVTAS software: the time codes recorded from the start of the panorama; the start and finish time codes of each transect ('video frames') recorded on each video data sheet; and the ground truthing eyebolt
colours and corresponding benthos identifications had to be accurately entered into a Microsoft Access© database.

Digital still cameras were chosen to replace videos as the resolution of frames is better.

Quality control issues are examined in the following publication:
Ninio R, Delean S, Osborne K and Sweatman H (2003) Estimating cover of benthic organisms from underwater video images: variability associated with multiple observers. Marine Ecology Progress Series 265: 107-116.
Principle Investigator

Sweatman H