Crown-of-thorns and coral trout density on three central section reefs : 1983-1989

Abstract

Sea Research have carried out density surveys of crown of thorns stars, coral trout and chaetodontids on three reefs off Townsville: John Brewer, Lodestone and Davies, on a number of occasions since 1983. Initially, surveys were made on a single back reef slope site, but since November 1984 surveys were also made on front reef sites on each reef. Most sites were surveyed three times over a six year period but the back reef site at Lodestone has been visited four times in !he same period and that on John Brewer five times. In the latest survey of these sites, in June 1989, lethrinids and lutjanids were also counted.