Development of a methodology for the application of large scale digitised aerial photography for reef flat monitoring on the Great Barrier Reef

Abstract

[Extract] Coral reefs are dynamic systems in which recurrent natural disturbances such as hurricanes, floods, population explosion Such as Crown on Thorns have profound long term influences. At a time when coral reefs are being put under new pressures from human disturbances, it is important to be able to quantify both the natural and human induced change so that effective management procedures can be put in place. This project has aimed at producing a monitoring system using low level digitised aerial photography to scale and resolution suitable for management issues on reef fiats of the Great Barrier Reef.