scholarly journals Deep-Reef Fish Communities of the Great Barrier Reef Shelf-Break: Trophic Structure and Habitat Associations

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany Sih ◽  
James Daniell ◽  
Thomas Bridge ◽  
Robin Beaman ◽  
Mike Cappo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Deep Reef ◽  
Macro Algae

The ecology of habitats along the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) shelf-break has rarely been investigated. Thus, there is little understanding of how associated fishes interact with deeper environments. We examined relationships between deep-reef fish communities and benthic habitat structure. We sampled 48 sites over a large depth gradient (54–260 m) in the central GBR using Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations and multibeam sonar. Fish community composition differed both among multiple shelf-break reefs and habitats within reefs. Epibenthic cover decreased with depth. Deep epibenthic cover included sponges, corals, and macro-algae, with macro-algae present to 194 m. Structural complexity decreased with depth, with more calcified reef, boulders, and bedrock in shallower depths. Deeper sites were flatter and more homogeneous with softer substratum. Habitats were variable within depth strata and were reflected in different fish assemblages among sites and among locations. Overall, fish trophic groups changed with depth and included generalist and benthic carnivores, piscivores, and planktivores while herbivores were rare below 50 m. While depth influenced where trophic groups occurred, site orientation and habitat morphology determined the composition of trophic groups within depths. Future conservation strategies will need to consider the vulnerability of taxa with narrow distributions and habitat requirements in unique shelf-break environments.

scholarly journals Responses of reef fish communities to coral declines on the Great Barrier Reef

2008 ◽  
Vol 372 ◽  
pp. 211-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
AJ Cheal ◽  
SK Wilson ◽  
MJ Emslie ◽  
AM Dolman ◽  
H Sweatman
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
Barrier Reef

scholarly journals Recovery from disturbance of coral and reef fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 371 ◽  
pp. 177-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Emslie ◽  
AJ Cheal ◽  
H Sweatman ◽  
S Delean
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
Barrier Reef

Water masses, nutrient levels and sesonal drift on the outer central Queensland shelf (Great Barrier Reef)

1983 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 821 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Bottom Water ◽  
Chlorophyll Concentration ◽  
Central Zone ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Oxygen Utilization ◽  
Phosphate Nitrate ◽  
Reef Zone

A series of 19 cruises in 19 months in the central zone of the Great Barrier Reef was made in 1980-1 981 to examine the seasonal thermohaline cycles and nutrient distributions. The reefs occupy the outer 60 km of the shelf and the mixing there of Lagoon Water, Coral Sea Surface Water, Shelf-break Water and Subtropical Lower Water is examined using thermohaline data. Current meters and thermistors were moored from mid-1980 to mid-1982 to obtain seasonal drift and subseasonal temperature fluctuations. Subtropical Lower Water upwells through the reef zone to create a year-round thermal contrast between Shelf-break and Lagoon Waters, and vertical density stratification reflects this temperature contrast on the shelf Salinity variations reflect monsoonal rainfall and winter evaporation; rainfall and salinity show an interannual variation. The drifts of bottom water over the outer lagoon and of surface water over the continental slope follow the isobaths poleward. In the reef zone between the lagoon and the shelf break, there is a substantial cross-isobath, onshore flow of bottom water. Surface waters exhibit no significant averaged gradients in phosphate, nitrate, nitrite or oxygen utilization aross the reef zone. Surface chlorophyll concentration is high amongst the reefs. Subsurface chlorophyll levels are similarly high inside the shelf break, and subsurface phosphate, nitrate and oxygen utilization increases markedly, seaward across the reefs, particularly near the shelf break.

Upwelling by internal tides and kelvin waves at the continental shelf break on the Great Barrier Reef

1983 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Wolanski ◽  
GL Pickard
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Kelvin Waves ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Wind Component ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Tidal Period ◽  
Continental Shelf Break

A time series of 50 days duration was obtained of sea levels and winds and of temperature and currents at six depths from 27 to 104 m at 18�19'S.,147�21'E. on the continental shelf break between the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. The sea-level signal had a predominantly mixed solar and lunar semidiurnal tidal period. The currents consisted of a semidiurnal tidal component oriented primarily cross-shelf, except near the sea floor, superimposed on a low-frequency, predominantly longshore, southward component, coherent with depth, in geostrophic balance, and modulated by the longshore wind component Large fluctuations in temperature were observed, consisting of a low-frequency component, possibly generated by internal Kelvin waves, and iiucruarions of predominantiy solar semidiurnai iidai period. The latter fiiictuations are interpreted as evidence of internal tides of amplitude up to 110 m that may be generated by the interaction of the longshore currents with topographic irregularities in the shelf. It is suggested that, during any long-term studies of water properties near the shelf break, some additional monitoring of short-term temporal variations should be carried out to avoid data aliasing by internal tides. The bottom boundary layer appears to be very active in vertical mixing. Internal tides may be very important in introducing other water components, e.g. nutrients, to the outer Great Barrier Reef.

Phylogeography of colour polymorphism in the coral reef fish Pseudochromis fuscus, from Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef

Coral Reefs ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 392-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Messmer ◽  
Lynne van Herwerden ◽  
Philip L. Munday ◽  
Geoffrey P. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Coral Reef Fish ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Colour Polymorphism ◽  
Barrier Reef
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